If I Don't Have You
by NMI123
Summary: In an alternate Universe, Laura married Stefan, and Steve moved to Russia. Five years later, their lives seem almost unrecognizable until they finally begin to reconnect. (To be continued...)
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: This Steve/Laura story takes place approximately five years after the show ends, with some major changes to the end of the series. In this alternate universe, Laura marries Stefan and Steve goes to Russia. I know. That's a horrible ending. Good thing it didn't really happen, but this will be fun to explore. I do promise all of you Steve/Laura lovers, I am always writing toward their happy ending, though there will be lots of speed bumps along the way. To find out what has happened to Steve and Laura since this terrible alternate ending, read on. I promise my other series, Season X, will continue soon.

Content Warning: This story will contain some physical violence and graphic sex.

Chapter 1

Steve Urkel's life was not at all what he had hoped it would be in 2003. Oh, sure, he was a successful inventor, a PHD, the founder, majority shareholder, and CEO of a major corporation, a billionaire, and only twenty-five, but he didn't have the one thing he ever really wanted. He didn't have _her_.

He moved to Russia so that she could be happy, but his feelings never really went away. His company, Urkorp, moving to Chicago was only making his nostalgia worse. Every time he looked out of his office window at the cityscape, he thought about her. Every woman he saw brought her back to his mind and an ache back to his heart, though that was nothing new. That hadn't stopped since he had left for Russia in the first place.

On a warm day in May, he sat behind his desk in a well-tailored suit. He was crouched over schematics for Urkorp's latest invention, but he was having trouble concentrating. Something felt wrong. He felt like he was missing something important. He decided to clear his head, and he stepped onto the balcony. Being on the 101st floor meant that he had a fabulous view of the river, and thanks to Urkorp, it was no longer polluted. He stared for a long while, but was startled by a woman's voice behind him.

"Dr. Urkel?"

He jumped; thankfully the balcony had a sturdy railing. "Yes? Kelly! What's cookin', good lookin'?"

His intern furrowed her brow. She'd been with him since the company moved to Chicago seven months ago, but she was clearly still not used to his uniqueness.

"I just wanted to remind you that you have lunch with Ronald from the London office in about 45 minutes."

"Right," he replied. "Then I better run. Call my car for me, please?"

She nodded and left him alone again on the balcony.

Steve slipped inside and adjusted his suit in the mirror. Having a moment before his driver would be ready, he slid over to his bookshelf closest to the window and pulled out a book he kept hidden there. In a copy of _The Great Gatsb_ y, he kept the one thing that could cheer him up on a day like today. He never had liked the characters in _Gatsby_ , but he had always felt a strong connection to some of the plot points. He understood what it was like to lose a great love and never recover. On page 98, representative of the last year he saw her, he kept his favorite picture. Sliding it out, he smiled to himself as he glimpsed the love of his life in the first and only polka dress she ever wore. She didn't want to have anything to do with his polka habit, but the night they went to Polkapalooza turned out to be the best night of his life. Looking at her picture, he could still hear their conversation from that night. He touched her face in the photo and whispered, "I love you, too, Laura Lee."

Laura walked into the second tallest building in Chicago clutching her purse nervously. She felt absolutely ridiculous. She knew her dress was too tight and her blazer had lost a button, but she didn't have any other choice. She was desperate.

She hadn't walked on heels this tall in months either. She wobbled into the Urkorp lobby and was taken aback by the giant picture she saw immediately as she walked in. She hadn't seen _him_ in over five years, and she definitely hadn't expected to see him standing twenty-feet-tall the moment she walked in. She stared for a moment at the expression on his face in the blown-up photo. He was smiling, but something looked wrong. He didn't look like himself, or at least, he didn't look like a happy version of himself. That was the fakest smile she'd ever seen. She scoffed bitterly and continued to the circular front desk in the center of the room.

"Excuse me," she said to the woman behind the counter.

The woman held up one finger to Laura, expecting her to wait a moment. Laura sighed.

"Hidy-ho, you've reached Urkorp. This is Heather. How may I direct your call?"

 _Hidy-ho? Does everyone talk like that here? Is he running a company or a cult?_ Laura thought.

After transferring the call, Heather directed her attention to Laura. "Hidy-ho! Welcome to Urkorp! My name's Heather. How can I help you?"

Laura tried to smile politely, though her stress was diminishing her charm. "Hi, Heather. My name's Laura Winslow. I'm here to see Steve Urkel."

"Ok, Ma'am, hold on for just a moment," Heather said as she started to dial an extension.

 _Ma'am?_

"Hi, Jeremy! This is Heather at the front desk. I have a Ms. Laura Winslow here to see Dr. Urkel."

Laura cringed. _Uh-oh._ She actually had to have an appointment? There was no secret code for the love of the boss's life?

"Uh-huh. Ok. Oh, good!" Heather said brightly into her headset.

 _Maybe Steve's assistant will know my name? He must talk about me all the time, right?_

"Thanks, Jeremy!" Heather turned her attention back to Laura. "I'm sorry, Ma'am. It looks like you don't have an appointment, so I'm not going to be able to send you up to see Dr. Urkel today." Her smile was bright and phony.

 _Crap._ "Ok," Laura continued. "How do I make an appointment?"

"Unfortunately, because Dr. Urkel is such an important part of Urkorp and such a well-known person, we don't give out appointments to just anyone who walks in. They're reserved for important business associates and dear family and friends."

 _Ouch._ "I am a dear friend. Really, I'm family, so can I please make an appointment?"

"No, I'm sorry, Ma'am. Dr. Urkel's intern, Jeremy, checked, and your name is not on the list of people Dr. Urkel typically meets with."

Laura's jaw clenched. She officially no longer liked this woman or her condescending smile. "I _really_ need to see him. What do you suggest I do?"

"He has a walk-in day every six months. He could see you then."

"When is that?"

"Well, his summer walk-in day was just two weeks ago, so about five-and-a-half months from now."

 _Girl._ "This _really_ can't wait that long."

"You could call him and make an appointment with him directly."

 _There's an idea, Airhead!_ "Great!" Laura smiled. "Can you give me his number?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. We don't give that out. I assumed you'd already have it, since you're such a _close_ friend."

Laura was about ready to beat this woman to the ground, but she still needed her help, so she held off. "Is there some way I could leave him a note?" she gritted through a smile.

"Yes, our automatic mail sorter will send it to his office if you slip an addressed envelope into that slot there," she pointed. "You should know, though, that his interns do sort through his mail first, so he still may not get it."

"Is that my best shot?"

"Yes."

"Do you have an envelope?"

"Yes, but unfortunately, we don't–"

"Give them to walk-ins. Got it." Laura turned to sit on one of the couches in the lobby, not taking the time to say goodbye to Heather. Laura pulled out a pen and some paper. She didn't have an envelope, but she hoped she could fool the machine if she folded the paper correctly. When she finished her note, she folded it into a small rectangle. She addressed it like an envelope and slipped it into the machine. It gave her a notification that the message was on its way. Hopefully, it worked.

When Steve returned to his floor after his meeting with the London office, he paused in front of his pool of interns, as he always did, to check for any important messages. There were a few calls he needed to return, but nothing of import. As he started to slip back into his office, something in the junk mail pile caught his eye as his intern, Richard, was starting to shred the useless mail. Steve ripped the un-enveloped paper from his hands. It was addressed to him, and his heart pounded as he recognized the handwriting. He opened it to glance at the signature. It was signed, "Laura Lee" with a little heart. He clutched it harshly to his chest and tried to breathe calmly, so he wouldn't rip Richard's throat out for almost shredding this.

"RICHARD," Steve boomed in a way he never had to an intern.

Richard jumped. "Yeah, Dr. U?"

"Why were you going to shred this? Does this look like junk mail? Does this handwritten note look like it's trying to sell me a timeshare?"

All three of his interns stared at him in shock. He was never angry with them, even when they made much bigger mistakes than this. Now, as he scolded and waved that paper around, they all attempted to figure out why he would care so much about this letter.

"It's very clearly labeled, 'PERSONAL' and 'URGENT'," he spat. Steve couldn't believe this moron almost shredded the first communication he had from Laura in five years. What if she needed him? What if it was an emergency? WHAT IF SHE WANTED TO GET BACK TOGETHER?

"Do not EVER shred a personal letter like this AGAIN," he shouted as he slammed his office door to read the letter.

He leaned against the door and looked at it. His hands were shaking as he tried to read:

 _"Steve,"_ it said, _"I tried to see you today, but I couldn't get past Heather at the front desk. Apparently, I'm not on some list of people who can make appointments with you. I really need to see you. I'll show up at about lunchtime tomorrow and try again. Hopefully, this note finds you, and you can make sure you have time to meet me. I really need your help. Please, make time._

 _Laura Lee_

He traced the little heart to the left of her name and stood there, shaking uncontrollably. She damn well was on that list!

He picked up his phone and dialed the front desk, planning to fire Heather on the spot.

"Hidy-ho, Dr. Urkel. This is Jasmine at the front desk. How can I help you today?"

"Connect me to Heather, please," he said quietly, forcing back his anger.

"Ok, not a problem. Please, hold."

Steve waited for a moment until he heard Heather's bubbly greeting, "Hidy-ho, Dr. Urkel! This is Heather at the front desk! How can I help you today?"

"Did a woman named Laura try to see me today?" he said curtly.

"Yes, but unfortunately she didn't have an appointment, so we had to send her away."

"Did you call up here?" he growled.

"Of course, Dr. Urkel," she said, beginning to sense his tone.

"Then why didn't you have someone check the master list?" he spat.

"I did!" she defended, "Jeremy said she wasn't on it."

"He _did_?" Steve asked, his voice softening. "Oh, gosh. I'm very sorry to have bothered you, Heather," he said apologetically. He really wasn't much of a yeller, but this mess was driving him up the wall.

Heather breathed an audible sigh of relief. "It's not a problem at all, Dr. Urkel. I'm happy to clear that up for you," she said, her pep returning. "Is there anything else I can help you with today?"

"Yes, actually, there is," he replied. "Laura is coming back tomorrow at around lunchtime. Keep an eye out for her and make sure to send her up to me immediately."

"Ok, Dr. Urkel," she said, puzzled.

"Thank you, Heather," he quickly hung up the phone and stormed back out to fire Jeremy. "JEREMY!"

Jeremy leapt from his chair. "Yes, Dr. Urkel?"

"Heather told me you checked the master list for Laura Urquelle this morning. Are you blind?" he yelled.

"I didn't check the list for Laura Urquelle," he replied, ducking slightly.

"Then who did?"

" _I_ checked the list, but not for Laura _Urquelle_. I checked the list for a Laura _Winslow_. Her name's not on it."

 _Winslow?_ "That's her maiden name," Steve replied, resting his face against his palm. "Please, add that to her entry on the list," he ordered, realizing he wasn't going to be able to take out any more of his frustrations on his interns. This was a huge error, but none of it was really their fault.

Steve took a deep breath before continuing, "I'm sorry," he said, addressing all three of them. "I know since I got back from lunch, I've been on a rampage, but we almost missed an extremely important visitor today. Thankfully, she's coming back tomorrow. I need you three to clear my whole day."

"Your whole day?" Kelly questioned. "You can't do that. Tomorrow you have–"

"Clear my whole day!" he barked. Softening again, "Please, this is very important." He paused, "In fact, clear my afternoon today, too. We can deal with the fall-out on Wednesday. I have to go to my tailor." He grabbed his light coat and turned to them. "If you ever hear the name Laura Urquelle or Laura Winslow, find me immediately. I don't care if I'm meeting with the President of the United States. Bush can wait. She is far more important." He turned abruptly to find his driver. He needed to get ready for tomorrow.

When Laura returned to Urkorp the next day, she sported the same ill-fitting outfit. Wearing it a second day only made her feel even more self-conscious. As she walked to the front desk, Heather waved her over.

"Hidy-ho! You've reached Heather at Urkorp. Please, hold," she said into her headset.

"Hi, there, Ms. Winslow. You can follow me," Heather stood and began to walk to the elevator bay. She stood in front of the one that was labeled "Private" and turned the key to call the elevator. "Dr. Urkel received your note yesterday and made sure to have us send you right up today. I am so sorry about the inconvenience," she said with a very insincere tone.

Laura grinned smugly. "Oh, that's totally fine, Heather. I'll be sure to let _Steve_ know _exactly_ how helpful you were," she said, imitating Heather's fake bubbly tone.

Heather nodded and said, "Have a nice day, Ma'am."

As the doors opened, Heather leaned in to push a button for Laura as she stepped in.

The doors closed and the elevator began to move. Laura looked at her reflection in the mirrored door. Straightening her dress and fixing her hair, she thought, _Ma'am? Girl, I am like two years older than you._

She began to get queasy as she got closer and closer to his floor. After the way they had left things, she had hoped she would never have to see Steve Urkel again, but she really needed his help. She had never thought she'd be in this situation at twenty-five, but she wasn't at all surprised that Steve was in his. Five years without her and he became a billionaire. She couldn't help but think that she might have been the one holding him back.

As the doors opened, three young faces turned to stare at her. She could tell that the boys were checking out her body and that the girl was judging her clothes. Under their hot scrutiny, her face flushed. "Umm. Hi," she said uncomfortably, "I'm here to see Steve Urkel."

They all nodded simultaneously, not saying anything.

"So, do I need to wait out here or is he free?"

Again, simultaneously, the three pointed toward the door. She was starting to lean back toward her cult theory. She walked to the big mirrored wall and knocked twice on the double doors.

"Come in!" she heard Steve's high-pitched voice call. The butterflies in her stomach did flips as she heard his voice for the first time in five years. All that time and he never even bothered to call, though neither did she, she realized.

She turned the knob and slowly pushed on the heavy double door. As she entered, she was captivated by the huge office before her. It ran the length of the building, making it very long and thin. Every wall was windowed, making her realize that the mirrored wall outside must have been one-way glass. The view of the river was breathtaking, and she stared for a long moment before she glanced around the huge room. She couldn't figure out why anyone would need an office this size. It included a large sitting area, a conference table, a few doors that went off to labs, closets, and a bathroom, which was surrounded by the only solid walls. Of course, as she turned to her right, she noticed his huge desk and the seating area around it. Then, she finally noticed _him_.

The past five years had been very kind to Steve Urkel. His vast wealth allowed him to improve his wardrobe ten-fold. He was sporting a tailor-fitted navy blue suit that looked brand-new over a gray dress shirt and silver and navy striped-tie. His shoes were shiny, as was the very expensive platinum watch he wore on his left wrist. He still wore the same pair of thick glasses, but they suited him. She noticed that he had filled-out, too. His muscles were well-hidden under his suit, but it was clear that he was larger and much more defined. His face hadn't aged a day, but it did seem to have matured. She expected to see him with his mouth agape, jumping up and down, but he looked at her with his kind eyes and a soft but very genuine smile. He leaned against the desk, almost casually, and he had his hands in his pockets.

When Steve heard her knock on the door, he felt like his heart was going to pound right out of his chest. He moved quickly to take his carefully planned position leaning against his desk. He called to her, trying to sound calm as he invited her in. Upon seeing her beautiful face again, his heart immediately slowed. It was like no time had passed. He was no longer nervous. She brought him an incredible inner peace, like she often had in the past.

As she stepped through the door, he noticed with pride that she was surprised by his luxurious office. He smiled softly as he absorbed her incomparable beauty. Sure, he could see that she had changed a little, but he thought she was even more beautiful than she had been the last time he saw her. Her hair was a little longer with a slight curl. She wore makeup, but it was very subtle, so he could still get a good look at her gorgeous face. He noticed that she had the slightest little smile line forming on her face, which made him happy because that meant she was smiling. He took in every detail of her face and only then glanced at her body. He noticed she was very, very slightly heavier, a couple of pounds at most, but he adored her curves. In that tight dress, he could certainly see them too. She wore a black dress that completely covered her chest up to her neck and went down to her knees. Over that, she wore a light gray blazer. He moved his eyes down to her calves and noticed her spiked, four-inch heels. This woman was a model in the making.

Suddenly, her beautiful eyes met his, and he was filled with an incredible warmth. She smiled gently at him. He was worried she'd still be mad, and maybe she was, but he knew that in that moment, she was as glad to see him as he was to see her.

He took a few steps toward her as she crossed the room to meet him. As they approached, he opened his arms wide for a hug, only to get a hand in his gut as she reached out to shake his.

"Oh," he laughed a little, embarrassed. They had spent the majority of their lives together, and she only wanted a handshake?

Then he stuck out his right hand as she moved to hug him.

She laughed uncomfortably. _This is quite an Urkel greeting_ , she thought.

Suddenly, she felt his hands gripping her shoulders. He leaned in to plant a kiss on each cheek. Then he slid his arms down, wrapped them tightly around her waist, and pulled her in for a deep, shameless hug. As she felt him relax against her, she slinked her arms around his neck and relaxed, as well. She felt like she hadn't been held like this in forever. _No, that's an Urkel greeting_ , she thought as her lips curled into a serene smile as she felt him bury his face in her neck. She was glad it was only one-way glass.

He inhaled deeply. She smelled incredible. She smelled exactly the same. He came close to losing control and kissing her neck the way he used to when they were dating, but then he remembered she was married. That fact felt like bricks falling from the sky as he released her. He pulled away as slowly as he could, letting his hands slide down her arms to land in hers. He playfully swung their joined hands from side-to-side, unable to completely let go of her. Then she pulled away.

His eyes met hers again, and they shared a look that he could only interpret as regret. He saw regret, at least, though he may have been imagining it.

"Hi," she said, finally.

His smile grew and grew when he heard her voice. Soon he was bearing a classic Urkel grin, and she smiled back just as widely. "Hidy-ho, Laura Lee," he whispered. He reached forward to place a hand on her arm and turn her around. "C'mon," he said. "Let's sit and catch up."

She nodded and followed him to the seating area on the other side of the room. He took a seat on the black leather couch, and was disappointed when she sat on the couch across from him. He stared at her lovingly as the Chicago River framed her angelic face.

"So," he began, "Don't get me wrong. I'm thrilled to see you, but what the heck are you doing here?"

She looked down at her hands. She didn't want to answer that question yet. "Umm… Can we start with an easier question?" she asked.

He raised his eyebrows. "Ok, sure. _No sweat, my pet_. How are you?" He hadn't said those words in years.

And she hadn't heard those words in years. She smiled. "I'm ok, Steve. How are you, Mr. Billionaire?"

"Lonely," he answered, possibly a little more honestly than he should have.

She scoffed bitterly, again, "Hm. Well, whose fault is that?"

That certainly took a turn. "Laura, I–"

"No," she interrupted. "I don't want to talk about that."

He nodded solemnly. If she didn't want to talk about it, he wouldn't force her to. "Hey," he said, trying to change the subject, "I know the best little Spanish restaurant in the city. How does a little take-out sound? My treat!"

"Oh, no, thank you, Steve. I won't be staying that long."

His face fell. "Laura, we haven't seen each other in five years. You won't even stay for lunch?"

"No, Steve. I need a really big favor, and then I have to get home."

He sighed, feeling a rush of disappointment. "What do you need, Sweetums?"

"A job," she said matter-of-factly.

 _A job?_ Steve thought. _Maybe I will get to see more of her._ He beamed brightly at the realization, "No sweat, my pet! I'll call down to Legal right now, and we can have you working cases by tomorrow morning." He rose from his seat.

"No!" she said, standing, too. "Not Legal."

"Why not?" he asked, turning back to her.

"I didn't go to law school, Steve," she looked away from him, ashamed.

"What?" he demanded breathlessly.

"When I was applying for law schools, I found out I was pregnant, so Stefan and I decided I should stay home with the baby." She couldn't meet his eyes. She knew he had expected so much more of her. She couldn't bear to see the disappointment in his eyes.

"Pregnant? Baby? You're a _mom_ , now?" Little did Laura know, it wasn't disappointment looking back at her, it was heartbreak. She had had a baby with someone else. He could feel himself beginning to hyperventilate. He sat on the arm of the sofa as he felt his knees give out. He knew she and Stefan would have kids eventually, but she was so young. Also, he had hoped to never have to know about it.

"Yes, Steve. I'm a mother of two baby boys."

 _Two?_

"The oldest, Michael, just turned three, and the younger one, Elijah, is only eight months."

He noticed the change in her expression when she said their names. At least, he knew they knew made her happy.

"That's actually why I need your help, Steve. I have two little boys to support and only a Pre-Law Bachelors' degree. I was waitressing at night, but it wasn't enough money and the hours were terrible, so I quit. You know I'm not the type to ask for charity, Steve, and I'm sure I'm under-qualified, but I need a job with a decent salary, and health insurance, and normal hours. _Please_. You know I wouldn't come to you unless I was desperate." She was tearing up as she begged. She never wanted to beg anyone for help like this. She was far too proud. Begging Steve, though, was worse. It felt worse than going to her parents for help. There was no one in the world who believed in her more than Steve did, and it only took her five years without him to fall so flat on her face.

Steve was more than willing to help her, but he still didn't quite understand what was going on. "What about Stefan?" he asked, kicking himself for bringing him up. "Doesn't he make enough? Plus, I can't imagine he's comfortable with you working under me… I mean– _for me._ " He blushed at his double entendre.

Still not meeting his eyes, she really started to cry, "Stefan and I got a divorce four months ago."

She was _single_ again?! Steve tried to hide his excitement, which wasn't too difficult because he was able to put it behind a layer of genuine concern. Those two were crazy about each other. How could they have gotten divorced after so little time? "What happened, Laura?"

"We just couldn't make it work, Steve. He gave up his paternal rights, and I'm raising the kids all alone now. I only have my parents to help. We moved in with them, but I want to be able to give my kids a real home. I need your help, Steve. _Please_. I'll do _anything_."

For the shortest second of his life, he thought about what " _anything"_ he could ask her for in return, but he shook that thought immediately out of his head and moved to sit by her. He wrapped his arm around her as she cried. "Laura, my love, please, don't cry. I'll take care of you. Don't worry." He kissed her forehead and stroked her back as she sobbed.

She sniffled and lifted her gaze to meet his for the first time since she had started to explain. "Thank you, Steve."

He smiled at her. "Ok," he said excitedly. "We just need a game plan. How about I start you off with a million dollars? If you need more, we can go from there, but that should be a good start to send you back to school and buy a nice house. Of course, we are going to need to set up college funds for the boys and find you a nanny–"

"What? No!" Laura scowled. "Steve! I don't want any of that. I just want a job. I want to _earn_ a living."

"But, Babycakes, you can't go to law school, hold down a full-time job, and be a mom. You can do just about anything, Laura, but you're not Super Woman."

"I'm not going back to school, Steve. I just need a job, _please_."

Steve saw a familiar look of determination in her eyes. There was no changing her mind at this point. Giving in, for now, he thought hard for a moment. "Ok, Laura Lee, we let interns do a lot of our administrative work, even in Legal. I'm not sure what openings we have for someone with only a Pre-Law degree. I can make some calls, or… Nah."

"What? What was that 'nah'?"

"Well, I do know of one opening I could give you today, no application, no interview, but I don't think you'd want it."

"Steve," she implored, "you have no idea how desperate I am."

"Well, I'm looking for a new Head Administrative Assistant, HAA. That's my direct right-hand man. It pays really well, the benefits are good, you get to boss all my interns around and most of the other members of the administrative staff, and you are more than qualified."

"That sounds perfect, Steve. Why don't you want to give it to me? I promise I will work _so_ hard," she felt gross practically begging him, but she needed a little experience on her résumé.

"I'd love to hire you for it, Sweetums, but I didn't think you'd want to… work closely with me." He pursed his lips.

"I can handle it if you can," she said, "but we have to keep things strictly professional."

"I can't make that promise, my pet," he admitted honestly.

"Steve," she pleaded, "c'mon, I need this job, but I can't work for you if you're going to make it weird."

"Well, what kind of weird?"

"Well, Steve, I'm not desperate enough to _prostitute_ myself, so if it's gonna come down to 'Have sex with me or your fired' I'm going to choose fired," she said looking at the floor.

"Laura!" he looked at her, shocked that she could even come up with such a thing. "I would never do that to you! How could you even think that?"

"I don't know, Steve! You won't agree to keep things professional, so what am I supposed to do? If you ask me to have lunch with you is it a lunch meeting or a lunch date? Are business trips for work or for play? How many times will I be able to tell you 'No' before you get sick of having my constant rejection thrown in your face?"

"Well, maybe your rejection won't be so constant," he teased.

She glared at him. "It will be, Steve. I have young kids. I have no interest in dating, right now, and if I did… I still haven't forgiven you."

He knew he deserved that. The recent developments in her life only proved that further. "Laura," he said seriously, "you can turn me down as often as you like, but I can't promise I won't chase you. By the end of this, you'll definitely have a case for a lawsuit, but if you take this job, you will have it for as long as you want it. Please, never feel obligated to do something that makes you uncomfortable. It's just that our story is so complicated and so long, I can't turn it off Monday through Friday, Nine to Five."

That made sense, but she was still worried about how he'd react if she stuck to her guns. "I'm always going to turn you down, Steve."

"I'm always going to ask, Laura Lee."

"I want this job."

"I want you," he whispered.

 _Not a great start._ "You can't have me."

"I can't promise professional, but I'd really be glad just to be your friend again. Do you think we can aim for that?"

"Maybe we can work on it."

"The job is yours, if you want it," he smiled.

"Thank you, Steve," she whispered as she teared-up again. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he held her close.

After a precious moment, she pulled away, wiping her eyes. "Ok, so… Um. Maybe we should talk logistics?"

He just wanted to hold her again. She looked so vulnerable. Coming to him for help was so out of character. It broke his heart to know her situation was really that bad. Resigned to the fact that his moment as physical comforter was over, he resolved himself to aid her within the confines of their new relationship.

"You got it, Sweetheart!" He waved her over to his desk. He took a seat behind it, and she sat in one of the chairs on the other side.

As she sat and crossed her legs, she prayed that her dress wouldn't rip. She listened intently as he walked her through her duties. He was right; they weren't complicated, but they certainly needed to be done. He noted that while her hours sometimes required evening and weekend work, not to mention travel, he would be flexible with her when he could be. She didn't appreciate his special treatment, but she was in no position to turn it down.

Eventually, they arrived at salary. He wrote an enormous number down on a Post-It note and slid it across the desk to her. When she read it, she laughed aloud. "Absolutely not," she said.

"What? You don't think it's enough?"

"Steve! It's three times what you should be paying me."

He scoffed, "Please, it's not like I can't afford it. I like to keep my employees happy."

She rolled her eyes, "Oh, so that's what you paid your last assistant?"

"Well, no," he admitted, "but my last HAA only had a high school diploma. You have a degree. You should make more!"

"Not that much more!" Laura insisted.

"Laura," Steve pleaded, "I want you to be comfortable."

"I'd be more _comfortable_ if you paid me a reasonable salary," she maintained. "I am asking you for a big favor, Steve, but I'm not a charity case. I don't want to owe you that much. I want to be treated like a normal employee."

He inhaled deeply and held his breath for a moment. Exhaling loudly, he wrote down another number. He slid it to her and she shook her head.

"What were you paying your last assistant?"

"That's confidential," he said, writing down another number. "This is as low as I'm going."

She reached for it and looked at it critically. It was still too much. "Steve, _please_. Just add fifteen percent to what you were paying your last HAA. That's plenty for my degree."

"Fine," he said, writing down the final number, "but you will also have full-coverage family health insurance, three weeks of paid time off, a Christmas bonus, free childcare, and an expense account that will be very poorly monitored."

She laughed, "Fine! Stop twisting my arm." She took the note from him and gawked at the number. "Steve Urkel, don't you dare lie to me!"

"What do you mean?"

"There's no way you were paying your last assistant this much!"

"Yes, I was!" he insisted.

She narrowed her eyes at him. She used to be able to read his face like a book, but she was having trouble now. "You swear?"

"I swear on all things cheesy," he said, raising his right hand.

She shook her head, "You are too good a man, Steve Urkel."

He cocked his head at her adoringly, deeply touched by her compliment. "I've missed you _so_ much."

She looked away from those big, puppy dog eyes. Noticing her resistance, he decided to give her a break, "So," he continued, "do you have any questions for me?"

"No, not right now."

He smiled brightly, "Well, then I guess I'll see you tomorrow morning at nine… That is, unless you would reconsider my lunch offer?" He looked at her, his eyes filled with hope.

She really did owe him lunch after all he decided to do for her. "I really can't today, Steve. Could we maybe do it tomorrow?"

 _Jackpot! I'm already wearin' you down again!_ "You got it, baby!" he said, shooting her his finger guns.

He stood to walk her out. "Do you have a minute to meet the interns? We can do a fuller meet-and-greet with more of the staff you will be working with tomorrow, but you really should meet the trio."

She stood to follow him, "Ok, but I really only have a minute."

They stepped out of his office and walked up to the three desks behind the larger one in the center of the waiting room she could only assume was her own.

"Richard, Jeremy, Kelly, this is Laura Winslow," he paused. "Wait, you did actually change your name back, right?"

She nodded.

"Oh, good. So," he continued speaking to the interns, though his eyes never left Laura, "this is Laura Winslow. She is a brilliant, strong, wonderful woman and she will be taking over the Head Administrative Assistant position tomorrow."

Laura looked away from his exaggerated compliments, and toward the interns. She waved, but noticed that they looked confused, if not annoyed. She could tell she'd have some convincing to do before she really had a team. She was confident she would earn their respect… eventually.

"I'm really looking forward to working with all of you," she said.

Steve's hand landed on her lower back. _Well, that's certainly not going to help_. She noticed that the young woman glared as Steve touched her and the guys exchanged a glance. _They think I'm sleeping with him. Fantastic. That will make my life way easier._ She pulled away from him.

He looked at her, surprised she moved, but he accepted it. "C'mon," he said to her. "I'll walk you out." He led the way to the elevator and hit the button.

"You really don't have to, Dr. Urkel."

 _Dr. Urkel?_ There was something about that that he found extremely sexy. He made note of that for later. "I want to, though," he crooned, wiggling his brow.

 _Oh, God… He's not helping._ "You're the boss," she conceded as she stepped into the elevator.

"Darn right, I am," he growled as the doors closed. He stepped closer to her.

"Steve…" she warned.

"Yes, my pet," he cooed, a little too close to her ear.

"You have to be more professional in front of the interns. They think you only gave me the job because I'm hot or something."

"Oh, we can't have that. They need to know the real reason I gave you the job: because I worship you," he teased.

"No, they don't," Laura insisted. " _Please_. When we're alone, it's one thing. We have a very _specific_ dynamic, but when we're with other people… Steve, if you really want me to do this job, people are going to have to respect me. You may have only given me this position because of our past, but you do think I can really do it, right?"

"Of course, you can, Laura Lee."

"Then treat me like it. Ok?"

"I will do my best," he promised as the doors opened. He walked across the lobby next to her, holding the door for her as she exited. He offered to walk her to her car, but she refused. They stood in the warm sun for a few moments.

Laura broke the silence. "So, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"You bet!"

Suddenly, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. His eyes remained open in surprise. All too soon, she pulled back. "Thank you, Steve." She quickly turned and left.

He stood there, watching her walk away until she turned the corner. He remained there for several minutes more. He was going to get to see Laura Winslow every day again. In that moment, he promised himself he would win her back and never let her go. He jumped into the air and kicked wildly. "Yahoo!" Then he went back to finish his day.


	2. Chapter 2

When Laura got back home, she met her mom at the backdoor with the baby in her arms.

"Hey, Mom."

"Laura!" Harriette said excitedly. She turned to the fussy baby, "See, Eli? I told you Mama would be right back." She quickly handed him to Laura. "I have to run. My lunch break is almost over. I'm going to be late as it is."

She started to slip her work shoes back on. "Mikey's watching a cartoon in the living room. You have fifteen seconds. How did it go?"

"Good," she affirmed, relief washing over her face. "I start tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? You haven't found a sitter you like, yet!"

"Urkorp has a daycare center. It's free, and if Steve suggested it to me, I'm sure it's pretty good."

"I'm sure you're right," Harriette agreed. Standing and grabbing her purse, she kissed her daughter and grandson on their cheeks. "Congratulations. I'll see you tonight."

"Thanks," Laura said halfheartedly as she watched her mom walk out the door. She was relieved to have a way out of this mess, but she'd never felt like such a loser.

Elijah started to cry, and she bounced with him gently. As he settled, she looked at him and smiled. At least, there was one thing in the world she was still good at. She stroked his back and smelled his head.

Steve couldn't focus for the rest of the day. It was a good thing he had cleared his schedule. He tried to work with the interns to reset his plans for the week and make some time to help Laura adjust, but other than that small task, he was completely useless. He did a few little things to make things easier for her. He stopped by the daycare center and pre-registered her kids. He ordered flowers for her first day. He had Jeremy dust off the main desk and make sure the place was spotless for her. He had Kelly pull out some office supplies. He called ahead and ordered a luxurious lunch spread for them tomorrow. Finally, he allowed himself to duck out a couple of hours early when he ran out of ideas that were remotely professional.

He arrived home at about four o'clock and was glad to see the maids had finished for the day. With no workers in the mansion, he allowed himself to sneak up to his bedroom for a little nap. Well, a little relaxation, followed by a nap.

He found his way to the master bedroom and jumped excitedly onto his bed. There was something he had been dying to do all day. He propped himself up on the pillows and lay back. He tossed his new suit jacket on the ground along with his tie. He unbuttoned his shirt, and then, finally, he unbuckled his belt. He slid it out of his belt loops and tossed it to the side. He grabbed his manhood through his pants. "Laura…" he moaned.

Since he had moved to Russia, and had officially given up on his plans to be with Laura, he had decided to allow himself one guilty pleasure. Growing up, he had always tried to avoid fantasizing about her and touching himself. He wasn't always successful, but he had always tried. He had wanted to save that part of himself for only her. When they ended their relationship, he changed his tune. Knowing he had officially given her up, and therefore all women, he allowed himself to have the pleasure of his own touch and his active imagination. It seemed like the least he owed his broken heart. Now, as he considered the possibilities that came with learning she was once again single, he found himself too horny to consider holding off again.

He continued to stroke himself over his pants. He allowed his mind to wander to the fantasy he had denied himself earlier in the day.

 _"I need your help, Steve. Please. I'll do anything," Laura begged._

 _"Anything?" he questioned. "Think about what you're saying, my pet."_

 _"I'll do anything. Please, Steve. Anything you want," she promised._

 _He went back to sit behind his desk, and he curled his fingers toward her. "Come here," he commanded._

 _She obeyed quickly and stood in front of him._

 _"On your knees, my pet."_

 _"Yes, Steve," she said as she knelt before him._

 _He undid his belt and freed his hard cock. "Open your mouth."_

Steve unbuttoned his pants as he fantasized and slipped them down along with his boxers. His erection popped out, and he gripped it tightly, taking some lotion from the night stand.

 _He grinned down at her as her full, pink lips parted for him. He pushed her head down and groaned when her lips surrounded his throbbing member. Without direction, she started to bob her head up and down for him._

He began to stroke himself up and down, up and down. "Ohhhh, Lauraaaaaa…" he moaned. "Faster, Baby. Suck me faster." Following his own commands, he stroked himself faster and harder.

 _She looked up at him with those big, brown eyes, and she moaned. "Mmmmmmmm…" She kept her eyes on him, and she sucked on his tip, swirling her velvety tongue around it. She licked him gently on the head of his cock. "Mmmmm… Steve," she whispered between licks. "You taste sooo good."_

Steve kept stroking himself. All alone in his house, he said loudly. "Yeah, Baby! Yeah! YEAH! You like how my cock tastes, don't you? Oh, Laura. Oh!"

 _He pushed her head down forcefully onto his manhood. He heard her gag a little._

He stroked faster, from his balls to his tip. "Unh. OH, Baby, is it too big for you? Yeah, it is? Oh, no, my pet. You can do it."

 _Her head bobbed up and down in his lap taking his full length. She stared at him as his manhood rammed the back of her throat faster and faster._

His balls started to tighten. He could feel how close he was getting.

 _She stopped her sucking for a minute to beg him, "Please, come in my mouth, Steve. Please!" She sucked him harder, deeper._

"Uunnnnh… Yes, Laura. I'm gonna come all deep inside that hot little mouth." He stroked as fast as he could, gripping tightly. "Laura. Laura. Laura."

 _She bobbed up and down, never breaking eye contact._

"Laura, Laura, Lauraaaaa." He stroked his lotion covered member, with his eyes shut tightly.

"LauraLauraLauraLauraLaura."

 _He thrust himself hard and fast into her mouth, and she happily took him in over and over._

"LAURALAURALAURAAAAAAAA!"

His cock started to spurt his hot cum all over his chest and hands. He felt his body spasm, and he pumped hard.

 _Her eyes widened as he shot his load in her mouth. She moaned as she started to swallow strand after strand._

"Yessssss, Lauraaaaaa. Swallow it, Baby." He kept stroking as his orgasm began to subside. "Yessss, Baby. Swallow it all. Show me what a good little assistant you'll be."

 _"I love you so much, Steve. Your cum tastes so good. Can I please have the job, Dr. Urkel? Please, Dr. Urkel?"_

 _She started to lick and suck his member clean. He gently stroked her hair._

"I love you, too," he moaned. "We'll see about that job, Ms. Winslow… That was just the oral interview."

His stroke slowed as he grabbed a tissue to clean up some of his mess.

He felt a calm rush over his body. He loved her, and he was glad to help her, but he was fooling himself if he didn't acknowledge that he wanted to do more than help her. He wanted to be her hero, her husband, her lover. He wanted her to be his. He was determined to win her back no matter how long it took him. If he could do it once, he was sure he could do it again. Things were more complicated this time. He had to win a whole family over, but her kids were very young. They needed a father, and he wanted to be the one.

After Laura put the boys to bed that night, she went to her room to set-up for her first day. She went through her closet and found a total of three work-appropriate outfits. She'd already worn one, _twice_ , so for tomorrow, she laid out a navy blue pantsuit and a pink silk top. With her current selection, she knew the entirety of her first paycheck would be going to the mall. Suddenly, she found herself wishing that Steve had offered her a signing bonus.

As she ran through her nightly routine, getting ready for bed, she replayed the day in her head. She realized how lucky she was to have Steve to go to. Very few people had a billionaire in their lives who was obsessed with them. She felt like the only thing she should be feeling was grateful, but she was still so mad at him for what had happened between them. She also blamed him, though she knew it wasn't entirely fair, for what had happened between her and Stefan.

As she slipped into bed, however, she started to miss the feeling of sharing a bed with a man. During the day, she could always manage to put on the face of the strong single mother. Today wasn't her best example of that feat, but normally she did pretty well. She was a strong, independent woman who didn't need a man at all.

The nights were always harder, though. It's not that she felt she needed a man to take care of her, but she found it very difficult to relax knowing that everything was resting on her shoulders. Going to bed with someone made her feel like she had a partner to share the burden with. Going to bed alone reminded her that no matter how much help her parents, family, and friends offered, when it really came down to it, she was alone.

Laura woke up an hour late that first morning. She had planned to get up early so she would have plenty of time to get the boys settled at daycare before she went to work, but it looked like that morning, she was going to have to drop them and run.

She rushed through her morning routine, and thankfully, her mother was willing to get the boys ready to go. She finished her hair and makeup after her shower and headed back to her room to get dressed. She slipped into her favorite bra and panties, because she wanted to feel confident. It did lift her breasts to the perfect angle, and though no one would know except her, her ass looked great in this thong. She moved to slip on her pants and found that she couldn't get them buttoned.

"No. No. No. No. No. No. Nooooo," she whined to herself. _Oh, God, when was the last time I wore these? It was that interview I did with that fancy pre-school for Michael. Well, that was only… Before Eli was born. Damn it!_ She kicked her bed, and she heard the pants that were far too small rip. _Pregnancy weight, Laura! Try on your damn clothes!_

She turned to her closet looking for anything else she could get away with. Her eyes landed on a navy pencil skirt, and she slipped it on in a hurry. Looking in the mirror, she remembered the reason she didn't pull this one out last night. It fit, but it was way too short. She turned back to her closet and confirmed it was her only option. She bent over in front of the mirror and also confirmed that, when she did, her panties were completely visible.

 _Ok, not doing any of that today._

She slipped on her top and her blazer, which still fit decently. Then she found her shoes. In her spiked heels and her miniskirt, she looked like Steve had hired an in-house prostitute, but she knew that she had to wear it confidently, or people would only make it a bigger deal.

She ran down stairs and right into her father, literally.

"Ooof. Sorry, Daddy," she said as she went to pick up the diaper bag and make sure Eli was locked into his carrier.

"Whoa, Princess," he said turning to look at her. "Are you sure that's what you want to wear on your first day?"  
"My pants ripped because I'm a mom, and apparently, I'm fat now, so are you sure you want to judge me for it on my first day?"

Taking her not-so-subtle hint, he kissed her on the cheek and sat down at the table. "You look fine, Sweetheart. You'll do great."

"Thanks," she said distractedly. "Mom? Where's Michael? We gotta go!"

Harriette walked in from the living room holding a crying toddler in her arms.

 _Not today,_ Laura thought as she took him from his grandma's arms. "What's the matter, Mikey?" she asked sweetly.

"I- I don't w-wanna go to work!" he wailed.

"Baby, you're just going to spend the day with some other kids while Mommy works. I'm not sending you to a sweatshop." _Yet._

"What's a sweatshop?" he sobbed.

Harriette rolled her eyes. Laura was a good mother, but there were times when it was obvious she was in desperate need of adult conversation because it started to seep into her conversations with Michael.

"Nothing, Baby. Don't worry about it. My point is: all you have to do is play with other kids today. Is that so bad? You'll make tons of new friends."

"I don't want any new friends," he screamed.

Laura felt like she was banging her head against a wall, and she just didn't have time this morning of all mornings. She looked desperately around the kitchen to both her parents. "Ideas? Anyone?"

They both shook their heads.

Laura shut her eyes tightly, trying to think of something to say, but eventually, she gave up. "Ok, Baby, I'm sorry, but we have got to go." She held him tightly as he cried while her other hand slipped her purse and diaper bag onto her shoulder. Finally, she grabbed Elijah's carrier. Her dad opened the door for her, and she headed out to the car. She felt terrible for ignoring his fears, but she knew that he would feel better once he saw the other kids, the toys, and the teachers he was so afraid of. She also knew that he would feel better if she had some money to buy him food, clothes, and a home. She had to be a grown-up, when all she really wanted to do was pull over, hold him, and cry with him.

As she drove, she kept talking to him, hoping to find a magic phrase to make him feel better. She parked in the structure in the spot that was reserved for Steve's assistant. It was a good one, too. She gathered everything and everyone into her arms to go find the daycare center. She turned and found Steve standing behind her. "OH!" she screamed. "Oh, God. Steve you scared me."

"I'm sorry, Sweetums. I just thought you might need a little help this morning, though I didn't expect to have to wait in the garage so long for you to show up."

She was mortified, "Oh, my God, Steve, I am so sorry. This has been a really awful morning, as you can see," she shouted over her screaming toddler. "I promise this will never happen again."

"No sweat, my pet! Um, I'd introduce myself to your sons, but I don't think I'd make a good impression at the moment."

She shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"Is there anything I can carry for you?"

She paused for a moment. She knew he wasn't treating her like a normal employee, like she asked him to, but again she found herself in no position to refuse his extra help. She set down the carrier to hand him both the diaper bag and her purse. She picked the carrier back up and with both boys in her arms, she was unable to gesture as she said, "Lead the way!"

He led her to the elevator and hit the button for the tenth floor, where the employee daycare center was. She kept talking to Michael in the elevator, and Steve used the short ride to look at her. _God, she's gorgeous,_ he thought to himself as he watched her sweetly comforting her babies. He ached a little when he got a good look at Michael. He couldn't help but notice that both of her kids looked exactly like him. He had pictured the kids he and Laura would have a million times, but it was weird actually meeting them… and knowing that, though they shared much of his DNA, they still weren't his.

Eventually, he noticed Laura's skirt. _Whoa, Mamma!_ He was shocked that she would wear something so revealing on her first day, but he wasn't exactly complaining. In a completely conspicuous way he turned a little to get a better look. _Yowsa!_ He bit his lip as he gawked. Her calves were strong but feminine in her sexy heels. He followed her smooth, chocolaty legs up to enjoy the exposed parts of her thighs, which was most of them. Then he looked at the way that miniskirt tightly hugged her hips. She had always had amazing hips, but he suddenly realized that childbirth must have made them even hotter. Finally, he leaned back, again not very subtly, to stare at her butt. He resisted every urge in his body that told him to grab it, but he couldn't quite resist the urge to grunt as he stared at her big, tight booty. "Mm."

As obvious as he was as he checked her out, she had missed most of it because she was distracted by the kids, but she certainly heard that grunt. As she turned to scold him, the doors opened, and she decided to charge ahead on her mission instead.

The four walked into the daycare center, and every adult turned to them, making all the kids turn to see what all the fuss was about. Though Michael had finally stopped crying, the feeling of being watched made him whimper again, and he buried his face further in his mother's neck.

Laura didn't appreciate the hot stares either, and her face flushed. _OH, God! This outfit is that bad?_

"Hidy-ho, Dr. Urkel," the lead teacher shouted to Steve. "What can I do for ya today?" she asked as she walked up to the little group.

 _Oh._ That's when Laura realized that no one was staring at her. They were all surprised to see the owner of the company walk into the daycare center considering he didn't have any children. _Please, be casual, Steve,_ she pleaded silently to herself with her eyes shut tightly.

"Hi, there… Jenna," he responded, glancing down at her nametag. "I stopped by yesterday to register my new assistant's kids, Michael and Elijah Urquelle."

Michael turned when he heard a strange, high-pitched voice say his name. "Mama, who's that?" he asked, glaring at Steve.

"That's Uncle Steve," she whispered back. "You've seen him in pictures, remember? He wears funny clothes and looks a lot like your daddy?"

"I want Daddy," he whimpered. "I don't like him," he said, a little too loudly, pointing at Steve.

Laura looked at Steve apologetically, but she didn't really know what to say. How do you explain your ex-husband's clone to your three-year-old? An uncle seemed like the best analogy.

Steve was surprised that Michael didn't like him already. It took most people a little longer to come to that conclusion. He looked at Jenna and shrugged.

Jenna laughed and said, "I've heard much worse. Consider yourself lucky, Dr. Urkel." She winked at him.

Laura stared daggers at her. Was she flirting with him?

Eventually, Jenna turned her attention to Laura and the kids, which snapped Laura out of Jealous-Ex-mode and back into Mom-mode.

"Ok, so this little fella is Elijah, right? And this must be Michael."

"Yes," Laura confirmed, "but their last name's actually Winslow."

"It is?" Steve looked at Laura, and she nodded. _Huh_. He was suddenly very glad he wasn't the one divorced from Laura because that girl did not play.

Jenna made the change on the forms and had Laura sign a few. Eventually, one of the workers came to take Eli to the infant room, and Laura gave him a kiss goodbye and turned her attention to Michael. Jenna was going to take him to the toddler room herself, but first, he had to let go of Mom. "Baby," Laura cooed, "you have to go with Miss Jenna, now."

He ignored her, but she felt his grip tighten around her neck. "Mikey, Honey, I promise I will be back in a few hours. This is just like when Grandma watches you, except here you get to play with other kids."

He tightened his grip further still. Jenna leaned closer to make a suggestion, "Sometimes, Ms. Winslow, it's like ripping a Band-Aid off. You do it quickly, they freak out, and then they adjust."

She looked at Jenna. She didn't particularly like this woman, or her suggestion, but she knew she was right. She gave Michael a kiss and said, "Baby, I promise I will be back soon. I love you soooo much." She hugged him tightly before ripping him from her neck and handing him to Jenna.

Immediately, he started to scream, and she looked at him horrified, "MOOOOOOOMMMMMYYYYYYY! Don't LEAVE! MOMMY, PLEEEEEEASE!"

Jenna looked at her and waved her off. Laura still didn't move. Steve wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her away.

"Wait! Steve! NO!" A moment later, they were outside of the daycare center and out of sight.

Laura turned to rail on him. "How could you do that to me, Steve? What right do you have to make me leave my kid before I'm ready?"

He could see that she was about to cry, and he reached out to hold her. She immediately hit his chest several times, but he drew her close anyway. As he held her tightly, she started to sob. He stroked his hand up and down her back, and she buried her face in his neck, her arms still caught between their chests.

Eventually, he spoke as he held her. "I'm sorry, Sweetums, but waiting was just making it harder on both of you. He'll be fine. I promise. He's a Winslow," Steve smiled. "They're pretty tough cookies."

He felt her smile slightly against his neck. She pulled away from him and wiped her tears quickly. It was obvious she was embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I should have been more professional. Heck, if I had woken up on time this morning, I would have had time to freak out with him and still get to your office early." She glanced down at her watch. _Crap._ "And now, we're forty minutes late. We'd better go,"

"Hey, I'm the boss. I'm never late," Steve joked. Then he looked at her seriously, his big eyes full of sympathy. "We can take a minute, if you want to. There's no rush."

"No," Laura shook her head and looked back at the daycare center door. "If I don't go now, I'll never go. C'mon."

She started to walk to the elevator, and Steve let her lead so he could watch her walk in that short little skirt. He had all the compassion in the world for her difficulties right now, but he still had eyes.

Since they took the private elevator that went up to Steve's office, they were alone again, despite the office being full of people. He figured he only had ninety floors left of alone time with her until lunch, so he took advantage of it. He moved to stand directly behind her, and he inhaled deeply. She smelled amazing, natural. She wasn't doused in perfume; she was just Laura. He reached out and wrapped his arms around her, his hands landing on her soft, flat stomach. He pressed his hips gently into her back.

She was still feeling nervous and vulnerable, so when she felt his comforting touch, she initially relaxed against him. She pushed her butt back more firmly. They were close in height when she was in heels, so her backside pushed right into his erection.

"Mmm," he moaned softly.

When she felt _it_ and heard his reaction, she pulled away, and moved to the other side of the elevator.

She looked at him. She wanted to say something. She wanted to scold him for acting unprofessionally, but she was really in no position to talk, so she just looked away.

"Laura," he began.

"Please, don't," she said, holding up her hand. "Just don't."

Then the doors opened. She quickly stepped out of the elevator, hoping to get some distance between herself and that moment. She smiled brightly as she approached the interns. "Hey, everybody! I'm so sorry I'm late. My kids are starting daycare, and it really wasn't a great way to start the day." She hoped they'd have a little sympathy for her, but she noticed a wide variety of reactions.

Kelly looked her up and down, took note of her skirt, and glared. _Ok,_ Laura tried to tell herself, _if my new boss walked in dressed like this, I'd make a similar judgment. We can work on that._

Jeremy appeared a little faint. He stared at her, mouth agape. _Ok, so Steve hired a young version of himself. I can deal with him, too._

Richard appeared calm and confident. _Uh-oh._ He looked her up and down and flashed her a half-smile. He ran his fingers through his hair and was the first intern to speak. "Hey, Laura," he purred, "It's so nice to see you again." He leaned further back in his desk chair and stretched, appearing to flex his unimpressive muscles. _Ok. He may be a problem._

"You know, Richard," she began.

"Rich is fine, Honey."

She looked down to compose herself, before she looked up with an expression Steve found all too familiar. Through her angry smile, she gritted, "Ok. You know, Rich, I would really prefer 'Ms. Winslow' until we get to know each other a little better."

Richard stood, clearly trying to gain a little more control over the situation, though he found that she was taller than he had expected, so his similar height wasn't as impressive as he had thought it would be. He continued confidently anyway, "Really? So you prefer names with authority, then?" He leaned closer, across his desk. "How about I call you 'Mistress'?"

Kelly guffawed, and Jeremy became more and more catatonic by the second. They were both well aware that Richard was an ass, but normally, he worked up to it. They figured he must have assumed she'd be easy since she was dressed like a streetwalker and presumably screwing their boss.

The implication was not lost on Laura. She knew they didn't respect her as it was, so she decided they should at least be clear about why. She turned to Steve, who had been waiting further away to observe, hoping to let her demonstrate her worth to them. He was too far away to hear, but based on her stance, it didn't appear to be going well.

"Steve?" she said, as she waved him over.

As Steve began to approach, she whipped her head quickly back to Richard. "Talk to me like that again, and I will fire you." Steve reached her side, and she smiled at him. "Steve, it's become clear to me that these three are having a little trouble getting used to me. I think that they deserve to at least know why they hate me, and I think you deserve to hear my explanation, so you know what they know."

That didn't sound like a great plan to Steve. "Now, Laura–"

She waved his concerns away. "Steve and I met in kindergarten," she began. "He is a very old and very good friend of mine, and we did have a romantic relationship at one point in time. I came to him recently, having not seen him in years, and asked for a job. To be very clear, we are not currently engaged in a romantic relationship, nor a physical one, not that it's any of your business, nor do I have any intention to be in the future. So, yes, he gave me this job because we are close, not because I applied for it or was in anyway compared to other candidates. Yes, he will also probably be more lenient with me than other people because he cares about me very, very much. However, I am completely qualified for this job. Actually, I'm overqualified. Your last boss had only a high school education. I graduated summa cum laude from IOU. I have people skills and management skills. I'm a fast learner and a perfectionist. I have every confidence that none of you will still be doubting my abilities a few weeks from now, but I wanted to hopefully squash some rumors before they began. So, any questions?"

As Laura's rant finished, everyone stared at her silently. _Maybe this wasn't such a good idea._ Eventually, Jeremy raised his hand.

"Yes?" she said a little confused. _Not a classroom, kid._

"You said you two dated, right?"

"Yes."

"Was that before or after he became a billionaire?"

The other interns nodded. Good question.

"Before," Laura confirmed, hoping that might help her case a little. She really wasn't a gold-digger.

"How is that possible?" Richard asked, shocked.

"Hey!" Steve barked.

Laura relaxed a little. Now that was a reaction she was used to. "Persistence," she replied with a slight smile.

Steve wiggled his brows, glad to see her relaxing. "You know, I'm still very persistent."

She immediately tensed again, though he was sure only he could see the difference. _Oops,_ he thought.

She took a deep breath and turned to her new desk. As she did, Kelly remarked quickly, "Ok, I have one more question, because I like you. I think that took guts, but I cannot figure out why you would choose that skirt for your first day."

Laura, still facing away from all of them, cringed. Steve could tell from the way her muscles moved, but he was the only person in the world who could read her that well. When she turned back around she had a confident smile on her face. She met Kelly's intense stare and cooed, "Because I look _damn_ good in it." She quickly turned back to her desk and started going through drawers, being careful not to bend over. She did look good in it. She knew that, but she was still mortified to be wearing it in the workplace.

No one in the room disagreed with her statement, but Kelly remained unconvinced. Laura didn't strike her as the type to buck social convention like that.

Steve took a moment to watch her unpack some of the office supplies he had set aside for her, but eventually, turned his attention to his work.

By eleven, Laura had more or less settled in. Though her rapport with the interns was odd, they were at least following her instructions and helping her when she asked. She allowed Jeremy and Kelly to call her Laura, but she barked at Richard whenever he did. She knew it was completely unfair and not a great management tactic, but she could also tell he needed to be put in his place.

Steve made himself readily available to her, but he also tried to stay out of her way while she adjusted. He had some meetings she would have to attend with him later in the day, so for now, he left her to her own devices and sat alone in his office, bored and nervous.

Then the elevator dinged. Laura didn't see anyone on his schedule, yet, so she looked up to see who it was. A delivery man with a beautiful vase full of bright, red roses in his hand stepped out of the elevator. "Laura Lee Winslow?" he asked.

Laura walked over to him. She desperately hoped it was her parents congratulating her, but she knew better. They wouldn't have sent roses. She thanked the delivery man – it wasn't his fault – and awkwardly took the vase. She set them on her desk and pulled out the card.

" _Laura Lee,_

 _I'm so glad to have you in my life again. You are going to be wonderful. You already are._

 _Love,_

 _Steve"_

"Who's it from?" Richard asked, though he knew, and she knew that he knew.

"Bill Gates," she smiled. "What?" she joked, "You think this is the only angle I'm working?"

Leaving on her snarky remark, she walked into Steve's office. Unfortunately, she didn't knock.

While Steve gave her time to settle in before their meetings, he noticed that his erection from the elevator incident had still not gone away, and it was beginning to hurt. Though Laura would certainly not find it professional, he slipped into the bathroom to take care of himself.

He whipped out his manhood as quickly as he could and started to stroke it with lotion he kept on hand for just such an occasion.

 _"Mmm," he moaned as she pressed her butt back into his hard cock._

 _"Take me, Steve," she whispered._

 _She didn't have to tell him twice. He lifted her skirt high over her butt and rejoiced when he realized she wasn't wearing any panties. He reached down and stuck two fingers in her dripping wet pussy._

Oh, the magic of fantasy. He pictured his fingers sliding in and out of her with ease. No warm up, just a hot, wet, intense reaction to her desire to have him. He stroked himself faster.

"Oh, you are so wet, you naughty girl…" he growled.

 _He spanked her._

"Did you wear that short little skirt just for me?"

 _"Yes, Steve! I wore it so you'd make love to me. I love you, Steve. Show me how much you love me!"_

 _He pulled out his cock and shoved it completely inside of her._

Again, the magic of fantasy. "I looooove you, Laura," he gasped.

When she entered his office after the flowers arrived, that's where he was, though thankfully, she didn't hear anything suspicious. "Steve?" she called.

He jumped and immediately removed his hand from his manhood, feeling like she had actually walked in on him. "Just a second!" he called nervously, pulling far too much toilet paper from the roll, trying to wipe the lotion from his penis. Though he didn't really do a great job, he rushed to pull up his pants and flush the toilet paper. Thankfully, it didn't clog the toilet, and he quickly washed his hands. His erection was tucked into the waistband of his boxers so that it wouldn't point directly at her as he stepped from the bathroom. He tried to compose himself, but he could feel it throbbing and begging for release. The moment he saw her, it twitched, and he grunted. "OH… Oh, um. Hi. Hi, Laura. What's up? How can I help you? Do you need me? I mean, _something_. Do you need _something_?"

She furrowed her brow at him. _Ok. He's acting weird_. She looked behind him to confirm that he had just exited a bathroom and not an in-office gym. He was very sweaty and breathing heavily. Luckily for Steve, she didn't put it all together. She shook the confusion from her head and started to talk. "Um. The roses just arrived," she said.

Relieved to have a subject to talk about, his breathing slowed slightly. He tried to lean against the conference table that was now behind him, but found the position… uncomfortable, so he stood back up. "Oh, good!" he chirped.

Laura bit her lip slightly in thought, making him lick his own. "Well, that's the thing, Steve," she continued, causing him to refocus. "It's really not good. You shouldn't have sent me flowers. We talked about this. I want to be treated like everyone else."

"You're a close friend, remember? You admitted to that. I was just congratulating a close friend," he defended.

"Red roses, Steve? You couldn't choose a less romantic flower?"

"What can I say, Sweetums? I'm a romantic guy," he flirted reflexively.

She sighed. "No more gifts, ok?"

"Ok, no more gifts," he agreed, "… in the office," he continued under his breath.

"I'll see you at lunch," she called as she stepped back out of his office.

He quickly slipped back into the bathroom and dropped his drawers. Standing in the middle of the private bathroom, he stroked again, his penis still lubed enough from the lotion he had failed to wipe off.

 _His cock pumped in and out of her womanhood. He felt her tight, hot walls around him._

"Ohhhh, Laura, my pet. Yesssssss."

 _He dug his big hands into her hips and pulled her body, bent over in front of him, back onto him over and over._

 _"OOOOOH," she moaned. "It's so biiiiiiig. I forgot you were sooooooo big."_

"You want more, baby? You want it faster?"

 _"Yes, Steve. Faster! Please!"_

He bit his lip as he felt his orgasm approaching. "Unh. Laura. Laura. Laura. Oh! Are you going to come for me?"

 _She was whimpering as he took her. Her knees were shaking, and her legs wobbled in her heels. Thankfully, he supported her weight. "Yes, Steeeeeeve! You're gonna make me come!"_

"Come all over me, Baby! Come on me. ComeonmeComeonmeComeonmeeeeeeeee." The tension in his body started to release, and he was careful to aim his hot, white cum into some toilet paper.

 _"OOOOOHHHH, STEEEEEEVE!" Her walls tightened around him, and her body collapsed in ecstasy. He grabbed her and quickly held her up so he wouldn't fall out. As she moaned for him, he released all of his love deep inside her._

"Do you like my cum, Laura Lee?" he asked as he continued to shutter and spurt.

 _"Yesssssss, Steve. I love your cum. I love youuuuu," she whined as her orgasm began to subside._

He smiled to himself as his explosion ended. "I love you, too, Laura, and I always will," he whispered as he stood for a moment, gripping the sink in the afterglow.

At noon, on the dot, the elevator door opened again, preceding the entrance of six well-dressed men pushing cloth-covered carts. Without stopping, they headed immediately into Steve's office. Laura looked up from what she was doing long enough to realize that they must have been bringing her lunch. That was not what she expected. The men eventually returned and left through the elevator.

Steve stuck his head out the door. "Laura, lunch is served."

Her face flushed with embarrassment, but she stood, as the interns watched intently, and she followed him inside.

He closed the door as she stepped in and locked it. "We're headed out to the balcony," he gestured. He opened the door for her, and she was captivated all over again by the sight of the river.

As he joined her on the balcony, he was captivated by a stunning sight of his own. As she stood, staring at the view, he watched her face. He wanted to see her make that expression every day. He knew that he now had the resources to make that happen. He loved her deeply, and he finally knew he could pamper her the way she deserved, if only she'd let him.

Suddenly, she noticed his intense gaze. She met his stare and smiled, "This view is amazing."

"I've seen better," he winked at her.

She turned, again embarrassed, and moved to the table that was set up for them. It was covered by a floor-length tablecloth and had flowers and candles as a center piece in the middle. The courses were laid out, on literal silver platters, on a table to the side. There was a crystal glass of water by her place setting. Steve pulled out her chair for her, and she sat, cautious to keep her rear covered. Steve set a basket of bread on the table and poured something bubbly into a champagne flute.

"Steve," she scolded, "I can't drink at work."

"It's sparkling apple juice, I promise. I've seen what you're like when you've been drinking."

She chuckled, "Oh. Very thoughtful. Thank you." She met his warm eyes, and it was clear that she meant she was grateful for everything.

He froze when their eyes met. He wanted to get on one knee immediately, but he knew she'd say no. He was having a hard time remembering how he had been so patient for the first fifteen years.

He set the bottle down and took a seat next to her, not across from her. He picked up the basket of bread and offered it to her. She took a small piece, hoping that eating might make this less awkward.

"So," he began, taking a piece for himself, "how's your first day going?"

"Great," she answered, "except my boss won't stop hitting on me."

He laughed, with a full-blown Urkel snort. _Whoa._ She hadn't heard that in forever. The sound unexpectedly made her miss him, even though he was sitting right next to her. She smiled brightly at him, and reached out to squeeze his knee.

 _Aha! Touchdown!_ he thought as her hand grazed his leg. "Well," he replied, hoping to continue the flirtatious banter, "maybe he'd leave you alone if you dressed more professionally." He rolled his tongue, purring at her.

She gasped slightly, and her face fell.

He saw her face change and was hit by a horrible, gut-wrenching guilt. "Oh, no, Laura," he reassured her, "I was only kidding. You look fine! Well, I mean… You look beautiful, but you look fine, I promise!"

She shook her head, still too humiliated to meet his eyes again. "I look ridiculous, Steve. I know that."

"No, Laura Lee…"

"No, I really do, Steve. I just didn't have any other options. All of my professional clothes are from before I had babies, and it seems like no matter how much weight I lose, I can't fit back into them. I'm really close to my original weight. I'm just carrying it differently or something…"

"Laura…"

"I promise, after I get my first paycheck, I'll run out and buy some clothes, but until then, I may be cycling through three outfits of miniskirts and buttonless blazers." She kept her eyes on the bread.

"Laura, Sweetums, look at me."

She lifted her eyes but looked at the river instead. He reached out and pulled her chin toward him. "Laura, you look even more breathtaking than the last time I saw you. I don't care what you wear. I liked your skirt choice, actually."

She blushed a little, and he bit his lip as she looked at him shyly. From this angle, leaning forward and holding her chin, he took a moment to look at her cleavage, barely peeking out of her top. "You are _so_ sexy," he whispered, still staring at her breasts.

It had been _so_ long since someone had looked at her like that that Laura almost bent over the table for him, then and there. She looked into his primal eyes, and she felt her nipples harden. She hadn't been touched in over a year, since the end of her first trimester carrying Elijah. _God, I miss sex._

His hand remained on her chin, and he leaned forward, pulling her gently, going in for a kiss. With his puckered lips mere millimeters from her glossy mouth, she stood abruptly, knocking him back and hitting the table. She stumbled, but caught her footing and stepped away from her seat.

"We shouldn't be doing this," she said. "You're my boss now."

"I don't have to be," Steve argued.

"Are you threatening to fire me?"

"No, Laura! God, of course not! I don't understand why you're expecting me to give you an ultimatum."

"Neither do I," she glared. "You've never understood how they work. You see, when someone agrees to give you what you want, you're not supposed to still do what you were threatening to do in the first place."

"Not fair, Laura," he replied curtly. He stood from his seat to stand in front of her, her back to the railing. "You can't always go back to that."

"Yes, I can, Steve," she insisted. "Lots of things in my life can be traced back to that."

He got her hint. "Laura, how can you blame me for your divorce?" he asked.

"Because if you had married me like I wanted you to, I wouldn't be in this position."

"Laura, I've explained this all to you," Steve said, his heart cracking as he heard her voice breaking with tears.

"In that note you left me? Yeah, what a great explanation! Very succinct. Before that, I didn't know you could erase the loss of our virginities and fifteen years of devotion in four sentences."

"Laura, I left because I thought I was doing what was best for you. Obviously, I was wrong, but–"

"You left because you were a coward, Steve. You left because you were afraid that, someday, I would leave you."

He opened his mouth to argue, but pulled back as he considered the possibility.

She continued, "God. I said I didn't want to talk about this."


	3. Chapter 3

**-Five years earlier-**

"Goodbye, Laura," Steve said, turning from the door to face her. He thought for a moment. "I do have one favor… to ask of you… One small favor: remember me."

Laura couldn't believe what was happening. She felt like she had entered an alternate universe. _He_ was leaving _her_?

"Steve, wait!" she said confused and exasperated. "You can't just leave!"

"Why not?" he asked incredulously, slamming his luggage back down. After all these years of telling him to get lost, he challenged her to give him one good reason to stay. Everyone knew she belonged with Stefan. Everyone knew she was going to pick Stefan. He was the only person in the world delusional enough to think he could ever be enough for her. He didn't want to wait around to watch her find everything he'd ever wanted to give to her with someone else. Fate had often been cruel to him, but neither one of them could really be happy if he stuck around. She needed a clean break. He was finally willing to give it to her, so why should he stay, now?

She scoffed, tears becoming visible. "Cuz… Because I can't imagine my life without you."

He looked at her, his eyes filled with pain. What was that supposed to mean? "What are you tryin' to say?" he pleaded, gesturing to her.

What _was_ she trying to say? "Well, I'm sayin' that… I love you… and… I want to marry you." She was surprised as the words came out of her mouth. She looked around the room like she didn't know what she was going to say next, because she really didn't. Her hands hit her thighs as if to say that she was finally giving in.

He stared at her, certain his heart would stop beating at any moment. He took a few steps toward her and asked in disbelief, "You do?"

She looked back into his loving eyes and suddenly felt the peace that came with finally making a decision. She looked down for a moment and knew immediately she had made the right one. She smiled at him, meeting his gaze again, and her eyes filled with happy tears for the first time in a long time after months of confusion. She nodded adamantly, praying that he wouldn't doubt her love again. "Yes," she said through her tears.

He looked down and held his hands out to her. His heart pounded as she glanced down for a moment, setting her hands in his. Her eyes met his again, and he squeezed.

She looked at his face, so bashful and dumbfounded. She clicked her tongue at him and moved to hold him close.

His arms embraced her back, and he stared off into space, his mouth agape in shock.

Her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, and she squeezed. Her body relaxed, and she moved her cheek to press more firmly against his. They embraced like that for several minutes. She refused to be the first one to break their hug. He needed this. After all these years, he had certainly earned it.

Eventually, he released her quickly, tearing himself from her forcefully. She looked up at him, shocked by his movements and concerned by the tears streaming down his face.

He shook his head over and over. "No. No, Laura. No. We can't do this," he sobbed.

"What?" she asked, suddenly feeling like there was a knife in her gut. "What do you mean? Why not?"

"Because I can't make you happy, Laura. I'm not good enough for you!" Steve shouted.

No, this was not ok. He was good enough for her. In a lot of ways he was _too_ good for her, and she knew that. "What are you talking about, Steve? Of course, you are!"

He kept shaking his head, his tears coming faster and his sobs harder. "No. No. No." he muttered over and over.

"Steve!"

He started to reach for his luggage again. "No. No. No. I have to go."

"Steve, no!" she yelled, running to stand in front of the door. "You can't go. I love you!"

"No, you don't, Laura," he cried. "You can't!"

"Yes, I do, Steve!" Her heart was pounding faster than it ever had. She felt like she was going to throw up. He couldn't leave. She couldn't let him leave. She needed him more than she felt she needed her next breath. He stepped forward, attempting to reach the doorknob behind her. As he moved into her range, she threw herself into his arms. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck again, determined to never let go. She started to kiss him forcefully. She opened her mouth, but his remained tightly closed. She traced her tongue against his lips and moaned, "Mmmm…" She pulled her lips away, just far enough to speak. "Please, Steve," she whispered, her eyes opening again to beg him. Her lips pressed against his again and again. "Please. Please. Please," she said between kisses.

Suddenly, he roared. He threw his arms around her waist and pressed her against him. He pushed forward to press her back into the door.

His mouth opened for her tongue, and she moaned again, "Mmmmmmmm…" His tongue met hers, and they swirled around each other. She slowly brought her leg up and wrapped it around his hip. He slid his hand down to hold her leg in place. He gripped her shapely thigh tightly as they kissed.

She pulled her face away from his but made sure their bodies remained locked together. "I love you, Steve," she whispered, still crying at the thought of him leaving her.

Steve wiped her tears from her cheek using his freehand and then wiped his own. "I love you, too, Laura."

She jumped slightly to wrap her other leg around his waist. He moved quickly to catch her. She leaned even closer, staring at him intensely. "I want you," she purred.

"I want you, too," he replied, not taking her hint.

"No, Steve," she tried again. "I _want_ you. I want _you_ , _now_." She kissed him deeply again for emphasis.

"Oh," he said, his voice becoming very small.

"Take me upstairs, Steve."

He looked at her, bewildered and bashful again. He didn't move.

She jumped down from his arms and grabbed him by the hand. She yanked him hard, running quickly up the stairs. She turned the corner and dragged him into her room. She slammed the door behind them. No one was home, but just to be safe, she locked it. He stood in the middle of her bedroom, looking like he'd suddenly forgotten how to move his legs. She shook her head at him. How could a man have gone this long in his life without planning what he would do if he ever got a sexy woman alone?

Little did she know, he had planned for it. He had been planning for it since the day he accidentally saw her naked. He had a million things he wanted to do to her, but for the life of him, he couldn't remember a single one. The look she was giving him had all but erased those fantasies from his memory. He didn't care about his own desires any more. All he wanted was to make sure that look never went away, unless he could replace it with a better one.

She moved toward him slowly. She had expected she would be better dressed her first time, but this wasn't her plan at all, so she made sure to move her body as if she were wearing the sexiest lingerie ever designed. She walked up to him and pushed gently on his chest. He immediately fell back onto her bed. She smiled and climbed into his waiting lap. Straddling him, she pressed her nose against his, but left her eyes wide open, burning with lust.

"Hi," she smiled.

He opened his mouth to reply, but he was silenced by her soft lips stealing his again. His arms locked around her like a vice, and his tongue dominated her mouth. She started to grind her body against his lap, making them both moan into each other's mouths. "Mmmmm…"

"Mmmmm…" Steve was certain he had never been harder. He pulled at her hips, trying to grind her down on him more forcefully. After only a few minutes of their intense make out session, he felt something strange. _Oh, no. Please, God, no!_ He tried to redirect his brain. _Uhhh… Uh. Math problems! Baseball! Old men in speedos!_

Suddenly, Steve broke their kiss and groaned louder than she had ever heard him before. "UNNNNNNNNNHHHHHH!"

She stopped moving and looked at him. His eyes were shut tightly, and he was squeezing her down against him so hard that she was certain she'd have bruises in the morning, not that she'd mind. Only a few seconds later, his eyes shot open and met hers in surprise. She looked at him with concern on her face. "Are you ok, Steve? Did I hurt you?"

He opened his mouth to reply, but he was mortified. He started stammering, "Oh, no… Oh. Oh, no. I-I… I… No. Y-You didn't… I just… I-I-I…" She looked at him, confused. She shifted her hips slightly, and he thrust up and whimpered a little. "Ohhh…" he whined in pain as her movement affected his now too sensitive manhood.

 _Oh!_ Laura suddenly realized what had happened. _Oh, my God, he came!_ Her hand reached up to cover her mouth involuntarily. She tried to stifle a giggle. It wasn't that she meant to tease him for it. She just thought it was the cutest thing. She had grinded against him for just a few minutes, and he was in ecstasy? He was too sweet. Still, she knew he would be embarrassed, so she didn't make it any worse by giggling or using overtly feminine adjectives like cute or sweet. When she knew she was completely composed, she smiled down at him. "Hey, Tiger," she cooed. "Relax."

He was humiliated! How was he supposed to relax? She hauled him up to her bedroom to take her virginity, and he didn't even last long enough to see her boobs?! How was he ever supposed to look at her again? How could he tell her what had happened?

She kissed him deeply again, hoping to rev his engine a little. They had time to get him ready again. There was no hurry. Now they had the rest of their lives, which reminded her, she needed to get that ring from him when they were done. She started to suck on his neck and nibble on his ear, moaning softly. He sat motionless.

"Hey," she said, giving in and looking into his eyes, her own filled with compassion. "Really, Steve, you need to relax. It's not a big deal. It happens."

He looked up at her, shocked. "What? You know? How did you know?"

That time she couldn't stop the giggle. His eyebrows furrowed as he was hurt by her laugh. "It wasn't exactly subtle, Steve," she said, kissing him again.

Maybe it wasn't. Steve looked at her devastated. He just wanted to please her. "I'm _sooo_ sorry, Laura."

 _Sorry?_ "You have nothing to be sorry for. It's not your fault," she assured him. "Besides, it's not like that's gonna stop us," she winked.

"It's not?"

"Of course not, Steve!"

"But Laura, we can't… I mean, if I can't…"

"You just need a minute to recharge, Steve," she promised him. "We have plenty to experiment with in the meantime," she purred, nibbling on his earlobe again.

"Ohhhh…" he moaned.

She pulled back to look at him again. "Hey, wait a minute. After what I just did for you, I think it's my turn!"

He looked up at her, the shyness rapidly leaving his face. Her turn indeed! Suddenly, he pushed her back on the bed and climbed between her legs. He reached up and ripped off her sweater. Then he pulled down her sweatpants. He pulled them off with her shoes and tossed his own coat, shoes, and socks onto the floor. He turned back to gawk at his prize. She lay on the bed, her legs spread around him, in a silky, black bra and tiny, silky, black panties. Steve hovered over her body and licked his lips.

She was amazed at how quickly he undressed her, but she figured she had certainly teased him long enough. Under his hot stare, she started to feel very embarrassed. Her bra and panties didn't really match, and they were both kind of old. She didn't expect to be in this position today. She moved her hands in a weak attempt to cover herself, but he grabbed her wrists and pushed them back down. He leaned down toward her and kissed her soft lips.

She started to unbutton his shirt, but he pulled away. "Steve?" she asked confused.

"Don't do that yet, Laura. _Please_."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. It's just… My body's not quite as _impressive_ as yours. I don't want you to see it until you have to."

She looked up at him sadly, pulling him back over her by his collar. "I think you are _very_ sexy, Steve. If I didn't, we wouldn't be here." She kissed his neck and continued unbuttoning him. She had planned to move right on to his pants, but she decided to stroke his smooth chest a little longer. She slipped off his shirt and rubbed her hands over his pecs, grazing his nipples, as they kissed. She moved to kiss his neck again, and she traced her fingernails down his abs. She ran her hands up his ticklish sides, over his strong back, and rubbed his neck, her thumbs sliding over his collarbone.

"You are so _hot_ , Steve," she purred.

He felt very self-conscious, like she was exaggerating for his benefit. Part of him wanted to look down and question her, but the rest of him was captivated by her touch and afraid of the truth.

"I love you _soooo_ much," she purred again. "I can't wait to be your wife."

At that remark he pulled back to gauge her sincerity. She looked sincere, but he was afraid he was seeing only what he wanted to. He had certainly done it before. As he started to have second thoughts, his brain stopped working because he felt her hands touching his belt. She unbuckled him, and he swallowed hard. Her thumbs traced the line where his skin met his pants, meeting in the middle, right by his navel. She slipped his belt out from his pants and let it drag against the sensitive skin on his back as she gently tossed it away. She moved her hands down to unbutton his pants, but again he grabbed her wrists. This time, he pinned them over her head.

She gasped in surprised and wiggled slightly beneath him, letting her hips buck up to rub against him. "Steve?" she questioned.

"No, my pet. You can't see it until it's… _ready_ for you."

"But, Steve, Honey," she pouted exaggeratedly, "I've seen it before."

He met her eyes. She had seen it before, but that was different. "That was an accident," he insisted.

She wiggled again, letting her hips thrust toward him a second time. "But I liked what I saw," she cooed.

He felt uncomfortable with her compliments. He started to feel like it was all a joke. "It's bigger when it's hard, I swear."

She looked at him, actually surprised by his insistence. She furrowed her brow at him, "Ok…?"

"I know it's not very big, and I know you deserve better, but I promise, Laura Lee, I will do whatever you want in bed. I love you. I will do whatever I can to please you. I know it's not big enough. I'm _sorry._ I'm _so_ sorry."

"What?! Steve!" she tried to interrupt his rant.

"Oh, who am I kidding?" he asked, removing himself from her body. "I'll never be good enough for you. Just go be with _him_ , Laura. He'll take care of you… and your… _needs_." He sat on the edge of her bed.

She felt deeply saddened by his lack of confidence, mostly because she knew it was her fault. How many times could you tell someone he was disgusting before he internalized that? She couldn't blame him for not wanting to be naked in front of her. As he faced the other way, she unhooked her bra and let it fall to the other side of the bed. Then she slipped off her panties and let them fall to the same spot. She felt a little nervous, too. This was the first time she had undressed for a man, but she knew Steve needed her to be confident this time, because he just didn't have to tools to be yet. She promised herself in that moment that she was going to make him love himself one day. She was heavily responsible for breaking him. She ought to be the one to fix him.

She got on her knees and crawled over to him. Kneeling behind him, she slinked her arms around his neck and pressed her full breasts into his back. They both gasped as they felt her nipples harden from their first contact with someone else. He sat up a little straighter, and she leaned to whisper in his ear. First, she kissed it and licked it a little. Then she said softly, "Did you feel that, Steve? Did you feel my nipples get hard for you?"

He growled under his breath and felt his sleeping manhood twitch.

"That's my body's natural reaction to yours," she whispered. "I can't just make that happen. I promise I'm not lying to you when I tell you I find you attractive. I wouldn't lie to you, but my body _can't_ lie." She rubbed her breasts against his back for emphasis, and she moaned, completely naturally. She loved the feeling of his hot skin on hers. "Oooooo, Steve."

He wanted so badly to turn around and see her. She felt so good against him. He had never felt a pair of breasts before, but something told him that hers were the most incredible in the world. They were soft, but still firm. They jiggled against his back when she moved. Her nipples tickled his skin. Still, he was too scared to turn to see her… let alone touch her. He sat in silence while she kissed him and rubbed against him.

"Why do you think you're small, Steve? Don't you remember the last time we saw each other naked? We weren't even an item yet, and even then, I told you you had nothing to worry about."

He continued to sit, staring at the ground.

"You're bigger than average, you know? I'm actually a little nervous I won't be able to fit all of you."

Suddenly, he stood and shouted, "Please, don't lie to me, Laura. I don't need your pity!"

She recoiled from him. She didn't appreciate being yelled at when she was completely naked. He turned to glare at her, and his eyes landed on her exposed breasts. She covered herself with her arm as she turned away from him. "I'm not lying to you, Steve. I can't believe you don't trust me."

He continued to stare at her breasts, though he could no longer see all of them. He enjoyed the way they bounced when she spoke.

"I know that it's my fault you have no self-esteem, but things are different now. I was a lot of horrible things growing up, Steve, but I think it's fair to say I was pretty honest with you about my feelings."

She heard no response, so she continued talking, "I feel vulnerable, too, Steve, and I don't think it's fair to talk to me like that when I'm naked. I think you owe me an apology."

He heard her voice shake, and he realized how badly he had hurt her. Oh, he never wanted to hurt her. His face softened, and he lifted his eyes back to her face, though she tried to avoid them. He sat down by her on the bed. He leaned into her neck and started to kiss her. He reached up to stroke her arm and remove it from her breasts, but she resisted. He whispered in her ear, "I am _so_ sorry, my pet. This is hard for me, but I'm trying. I _want_ to trust you."

"I want you to feel safe with me, Steve," she whispered, tearing up.

He pulled at her arm again, and this time, she let him expose her breasts. He pulled away to look at them. She was stunning. "You are so beautiful, Laura. I just…" His eyes met hers. "I don't understand why you want me."

"Because I love you, Steve," she insisted without hesitation.

"But why?"

"Because you're kind and affectionate. You're brilliant and passionate. You're funny. You are good and generous, and most importantly, you are the most devoted and loyal man in the world. What else could I ask for in a lover?" She moved closer to him and pushed him so he was lying down. Her naked body straddled him, and he could feel her hot, wet womanhood against his abs. She leaned down to his lips. Her lips grazed his as she whispered, "Plus, Steve, and I promise you I'm telling the truth, you have a _huge_ cock."

He groaned. He wanted to believe her so badly. A different part of him wanted to spank her for using such a naughty word.

"I have an idea," she whispered. "I can prove it to you. If we make love, you'll be able to feel how big you are, how much work I have to do to… _accommodate_ you."

She stuck her tongue out gently and just licked his lips for a few moments. Then she kissed him and started to kiss her way down his body. He could feel her breasts brushing against him, and he started to shake as her tongue and lips made their way down his chest. She unbuttoned his pants quickly, so he had no time to feel nervous, and she yanked them down along with his boxers past his knees in one swift motion.

She stared at his newly exposed manhood, and he trembled. _Poor, Baby,_ she thought as she noticed him shaking. As she stared at his half-hard member, she thought about how good it looked. Maybe if more people had seen it, he wouldn't have been bullied so much growing up. He at least would have had better luck with women. She stroked her hand over his chest, inching closer and closer to her new toy. A very selfish part of her was glad that she was the only one who had seen it. Well, her and Myra, when she used to spy in his windows and presumably, when she spied with hidden cameras. Still, she was glad to be the only one he let see it and the only one to touch it. She loved how it looked covered in his drying cum from earlier. She licked her lips and leaned down. He didn't think she really found him attractive? Well, she wanted to see if he'd still hold that opinion after she had licked him clean.

Expecting only a hand, he jumped and yelped when he felt her tongue on his tip.

"Wah!" he screamed as his hips bucked. Luckily, she pulled away before she broke a tooth on his hip bone.

She giggled, and leaned her face toward it again. Her hot breath tickled his head as she whispered breathily, "Yummmm… You taste good, Steve."

"R-Really?" he asked, starting to take her at her word. He still trembled forcefully.

She smiled up at him and nodded. She really did enjoy his flavor. It was salty and manly. He smelled amazing, too. He smelled like sex. Keeping her eyes locked on his, she let her mouth encircle his tip and suck gently.

"OHHHHHHHHH."

She had never done this before, but she was starting to gain confidence. He was almost fully hard again. She licked up and down the length of his shaft, sucking gently on places where his cum had dried, cleaning him off. She stopped only to suck on his balls, cleaning them, too. As she sucked, she slipped his pants and boxers the rest of the way off. Returning to his manhood, she noticed the pre-cum leaking from his tip and decided to tease him. "Oh, you bad boy," she scolded. "I go through all the trouble to lick you clean, and you just make another mess?" She quickly took what she could of him in her mouth and started to bob her head up and down. "Mmmmmm…" she moaned with a full mouth. The vibrations made him wiggle. She couldn't even take half of his manhood, but he was certainly enjoying it. She decided they would just have to keep practicing this, not that she minded.

All too soon, he felt her lips pull away, hearing them pop off like she had been sucking on a popsicle. He whimpered softly. "Ohh…"

She looked into his sweet, disappointed eyes. She kissed her way up his body and met his lips again. "I'm sorry, Baby, but I want you to come inside of me this time. Don't you?"

He roared loudly and flipped her onto her back. He aligned his member with her entrance, now open and visible before him.

"Wait!" she yelled, her hand pushing hard against his chest.

He looked at her, concern and fear in his eyes. What did he do? Didn't she just say she wanted this?

Seeing that he stopped, she exhaled a fearful breath. "Oh, Steve, Honey. Slow down," she said, breathing heavily. "I'm not wet enough, yet. I need you to play with me for a while, or it'll hurt."

He visibly relaxed. _Oh_. Now _that_ he would be perfectly willing to do. He rested his body weight on his forearms and got on top of her. He kissed her deeply, then pulled away, his eyes apologetic. "I'm sorry, Laura Lee. I got a little carried away," he whispered.

She smiled and stroked his face. "That's ok, Steve. I'm excited, too. It's just… I want it to feel good. I don't want you hurt me."

"I would _never_ hurt you," he promised, kissing her again. He bravely let his hands trail up her sides, and she shuttered. When his hands cupped her ample breasts, he ended their kiss to watch his hands massage her gorgeous mounds. "Ohhhhh, Laura, my love," he purred, without taking his eyes off her breasts.

She closed her eyes, enjoying his touch. She had expected to be nervous when he touched her, but she felt calmer than she had before. She felt comfortable and safe under his loving gaze and gentle touch. "Mmmmm… Steeeeeve…"

He looked up at her beautiful face when he heard her moan his name. She looked like she was in ecstasy. Was he really doing that to her? "Does this feel ok?" he asked, in desperate need of confirmation.

"It feels _sooo_ good."

He kept doing what he was doing, afraid to change a thing.

She opened her lust-filled eyes for a moment, happily absorbing the look on his face. She could see his desire as he stared at his hands on her body. "Steve, Baby?" she asked.

"Yes, my pet?" he glanced up to her.

"Will you touch my nipples, please?"

He grinned widely and ran his thumbs over her tight rosebuds, not looking away from her face. Her eyes closed again, and she cooed as he rubbed his thumbs back and forth. "Ooooooo…"

Suddenly brave, he pinched them. He heard a loud gasp escape her lips. Her eyes flew open in surprise, and she looked up at him, mouth agape. He looked down at her proudly and licked his lips.

Her face relaxed, and her fiery stare returned, "Suck on them."

She didn't have to tell him twice. He descended to her chest and happily took her right breast and nipple into his mouth. His right hand played with her left breast while he happily suckled.

"Steeeeeve," she moaned, grinding against his hips. He could feel her wetness occasionally brush against his member, and he placed his left hand on her butt. Using his new leverage, he held her hips in place, so that her wetness stayed still for him. He was in charge of her pleasure now.

She let him suckle for as long as she could, but he was so committed, she eventually couldn't take it anymore. "Steve?" she whimpered.

He loved that little voice. Suddenly, it was like all the power in their relationship had switched, and he would be lying if he said he wasn't enjoying watching her melt into a puddle of submission before him. "Yes, my love?" he crooned confidently, knowing what she wanted.

"Please," she whispered.

"'Please', what?" he teased.

Her eyes met his for a moment, and he saw a flash of his Laura return, his dominant, independent Laura. She stared him down, so he pinched her nipples again.

"Oh, God! Pleeease," she pleaded. "Please, touch me _there_."

He didn't know when he had become such a tease, but he couldn't resist. He moved down a bit and started to kiss and lick her navel. "Where, my pet? Where do you want me to touch you?"

"Unh…" she groaned, trying to shove her hips up and push his head down.

He forced her hips to stay still, and he resisted her push, his head remaining at her navel. He licked inside of it.

"Oooh…"

"Where, Laura?"

"My pussy, Steve. Touch my pussy," she begged.

Steve lifted his head from her bellybutton and gawked at her. Her _what_? He had wanted to hear her say something naughty, but he didn't know she even knew that word.

She looked at him, embarrassed. She expected that if she gave in, he'd happily help relieve her urges, but instead he just stared at her. Her brow furrowed in shame. _Way to go, Laura. Obviously, that's not what he wanted to hear._ She looked away from his shocked face.

"Laura Lee, look at me, please."

She refused to.

He climbed back on top of her, so that he could press his mouth to her ear. "Laura, don't be embarrassed," he said, reading her face. "That wasn't the word I was expecting, but I didn't mind it."

She turned to him so they were nose-to-nose, "You didn't?"

"Nooooo, not at all. You just surprised me."

She smiled a little, "What did you expect me to say?"

He smiled back, "There were about a million things I would have put on the list before that one."

"Well, what do you call it?"

"Your womanhood."

"That's so cheesy," she laughed.

"Hey! Your word choice made you sound like a porn star… not that I minded," he teased back.

She slapped his arm. "Steeeeeeve!"

He laughed his Urkel laugh. _Snort! Snort!_ "Say it again, my pet," he purred.

"No."

He nibbled on her neck. "Say it again," he ordered.

"No," she refused again.

Suddenly, his hand cupped her mound. She tried to press up against it, but he pulled away teasingly and started to stroke her lips, enjoying that she was completely bare for him… and now, only him. "Say it again."

"Touch my _pussy_ , Steve," she shouted in frustration.

"Say, 'Please'."

"Steeeeve," she whined.

He chuckled and snorted again. "Just teasing, Pet." He put two fingers at the edge of her wetness and pushed them inside. He moved slowly, because he could feel her walls resisting. She was right. She definitely needed him to stretch her out before he could take her for his own. He pumped his two fingers in and out, watching intently as she swallowed them over and over. He had no idea if he was doing it right, so he asked, "Do you like this, Laura?"

"Yessss, Steve."

"It's ok if you don't," he assured her.

She moaned, "Ohhhhh. Don't you _dare_ stop."

He smiled brightly, watching her writhe for him. He couldn't take this much longer. He wanted to just pleasure her for hours, but he needed to take her. He pressed his face into her hairless pussy, not stopping his fingers, and planted soft wet kisses all over her mound.

She thrust her hips and shouted in surprise, "OH!" As she got used to the feeling, she relaxed. "Oooooo, Steeeeeeeeve. Ooh, Baby, do you know where my clit is?"

He removed his face from her to shake his head. She met his eyes for the first time in a while and smiled at him. She took his fingers out of her, though she didn't like to do it, and guided his wet hand to her most vulnerable spot. "Be careful, Steve. It's very sensitive. Be gentle at first, ok?" she asked as she released him.

He nodded, unable to speak. He finally knew where her most private button was. He was the only man who knew. It was beautiful, too. He had never spent much time looking at adult materials, but he had studied the diagrams in his biology textbooks… _intently_. He had wanted to be prepared. He had never imagined she could look so wonderful, though. He stroked her clit gently, using his glistening fingers. Even just that slight touch made her moan, so he was very cautious as he played with it. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her.

Feeling braver, he moved his face back down to her, and he started to lick her clit. He added his fingers back inside her, and he could see a change in her. She bucked her hips against his face, pressing his head down into her. If he didn't know any better, he'd think she was getting close to an orgasm. He licked her over and over, from her entrance to her clit. Suddenly, catching her by surprise, he started to suck hard on her clit while he fingered her.

She gasped loudly, and her ragged breathing completely stopped. After a moment, she continued breathlessly humping his face, and he felt her thighs lock around his head like a vice. He was worried she might break his glasses, but he just sucked and sucked.

"OHHHHH... Don't stop, Steve. STEEEEEVE! DON'T STOP."

He continued eating her sweet pussy, lapping at her juices until she started to tremble. He moaned as he felt a slight surge of her essence flow into his waiting mouth. She tasted _so_ good. "Mmmmmm," he moaned, swallowing as much as could and letting the rest happily smear on his face.

She shuddered gently, her eyes shut tightly, her legs gripped him relentlessly, and she went completely silent. Only moments later, she pushed his head away from her.

He looked into her eyes and at her beautiful smile. "Laura, did you…" he whispered, trailing off in embarrassment.

"I don't know," she answered honestly.

"Well, I can keep going!" Steve volunteered, moving down again.

"No, no," she said, pulling him back up to her face and kissing his soaking wet lips. She didn't really like tasting herself, but he sure seemed to enjoy the flavor, so she kissed him happily. Whether she finished or not, that was amazing, and she was grateful that he made her feel that way. "Let's make love, Steve," she suggested, looking deeply into his eyes.

"Do I need a condom or…"

"I'm on the pill."

Suddenly, all of his nerves rushed back, and he found himself unable to speak. He positioned himself over her again and lined his member up with her entrance. He let his head touch her wetness, only slightly, and they both moaned. "Are you sure you're ready?" he asked, looking into her eyes.

"Yes, Steve. Please, I love you."

He pushed his tip inside of her and stared at her. "Mmmmmm… I love you, too, Laura Lee."

She was amazed at how thick he was and at how far she could open for him. She spread her legs further, hoping that would help, but she still found she was stretched to her limits. "Go slow, Steve," she said, shutting her eyes, in fear of pain.

"Laura, look at me," he said, still not having pushed further inside.

She opened her eyes to see him staring at her adoringly. "I won't hurt you, Sweetums. Just tell me what you like."

She nodded, reassured by his gaze. She smiled up at him. "I want to feel more of you," she whispered, reaching her hands up to caress his face.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," she replied, not breaking eye contact.

He pulled himself all the way out, and she pouted and whimpered, but then he pushed himself back in, a little further. He did this over and over, getting her permission each time. Eventually he kissed her and growled, "That's all of me, Laura. I'm all… Unhh… the way inside… inside of youuu."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he kissed her again. "You feel _so_ good, Steve," she purred. "You're _so_ big and long."

"Laura…" he rumbled against her lips, "I need to move, Baby. Can I move yet?"

"Oh, yessssss… Steve, please!"

He started to pump in and out her. He began slowly, but he was in such a desperate need, it wasn't long before he was slamming into her as hard and as quickly as he could. Having been so thoroughly warmed up, she didn't mind at all.

"Ohhhh, Steeeeeeve! Yes, right there! OH! Yes!"

He was staring intently at her face as she called out to him. He listened to her moan his name, and he knew he wouldn't last long. With each thrust, he grunted her name, "Laura. Laura. Laura." He buried his face in her neck and pumped faster. She humped him back just as quickly. " . ." He pulled back to look at her face again. He needed to see her eyes. He needed her to know who was making her feel so good. "Laura… Oh, God! Laaaaauraaa… Look at me." She opened her eyes and looked up at him. He rewarded her by speeding up his thrusts. "I'm not going to last long, my pet," he roared.

"That's ok, Steve. I'm ready. Come inside me."

He had meant to hold on a little longer, but as he looked at her and heard her ask for his cum, he couldn't refuse. "LAAAAAAUUURRRAAAAA," he yelled as he came deep inside. He pumped several more times as she milked his manhood. When he was completely spent, he collapsed on top of her and kissed her deeply. His tongue started to pump in and out of her mouth, mimicking his cock. He was completely out of energy, but he just couldn't stop taking her. He left his softening member deep inside her and finally broke their kiss. He rested his head against hers and watched as her breasts rose and fell with her ragged breaths. He stared deeply into her eyes, again. "I love you, Laura Winslow."

"I love you, too, Steve Urkel," she replied. "Now, where's my ring?" She waved her bare left hand at him. He laughed, snort and all, and buried his face in her neck. He sucked and nibbled on her neck for a few minutes before he regretfully pulled out of her and found his pants on the ground. He pulled a tiny box out of his pocket and slipped the ring onto her finger. They shared a long kiss, and he held her for a while as she napped.

She woke up to the sound of her father's car in the driveway. She shot up out of bed to get dressed, terrified that her father would catch her and Steve in bed, only to realize Steve was nowhere in sight. She slipped on her clothes, well, the items she could find, and slipped out into the hallway. She checked to make sure her bedhead wasn't too ridiculous before she approached Steve's door.

She knocked, but there was no answer. She peeked inside and didn't see anyone, so she turned to head downstairs. Then a small piece of paper caught her eye. She walked over to Steve's bed and picked it up to read it.

 _"Laura Lee, my love,_

 _Thank you for sharing such a special afternoon with me today. It was the perfect way to say goodbye, and I will treasure it always. I'm going away because I want you to have the kind of life you truly deserve, so please, find happiness. I will never, ever stop loving you._

 _All my love,_

 _Steven Q. Urkel"_

Laura read the note four times before she finally tossed it and her ring on the ground. She sprinted to the bathroom where she sobbed violently and vomited from stress. How could he do this to her? If he loved her, how could he hurt her like this?

 **-The Present Day-**

"God, Steve," she continued, failing to hold back her tears. "You called it 'the perfect way to say goodbye'. Not only did you spit on our friendship and our relationship in that note, but you spit on that afternoon. I wasn't saying goodbye to you, Steve. I was giving myself to you… forever. I don't know what the hell you were doing. You were just… _taking advantage of me_."

"No, I wasn't, Laura. Not at all," he denied adamantly.

"Steve! You _fucked_ me and snuck out. What the hell do you call that?"

"Laura Winslow! I'm going to have to rinse your mouth out with soap if you keep talking like that, young lady!"

She rolled her eyes. "Well, that seems like the most accurate term in this case."

"I _made love_ to you, Laura. You know that."

She shook her head, wiping a few tears. "No, you didn't. You can't make love while you're planning your escape route. That's not how it works."

"Sweetums, I didn't know I was leaving while we… When I put that ring on your finger, I meant it."

She was suspicious, but thought it might be time to entertain his explanation. She had always assumed he really was planning to leave her the whole time. "You did?"

"Of course," he promised, staring deep into her sad eyes. He hated knowing he had made them sad.

"Then when did you decide to leave?"

"After you fell asleep."

 **-Five Years Ago-**

Steve held Laura close as she fell asleep. He couldn't believe he had actually worn her out. He was going to get to do that every night for the rest of their lives, too. This poor girl was going to be exhausted.

Her breathing steadied as her sleep deepened. Her head rested on his bare chest, and she wrapped her left leg and arm around him. It was a tight fit in her little twin bed, but they made it work. Together, Steve believed they could make anything work. He stroked her back as she slept and held her left hand. Occasionally, he ran his thumb over her finger, just to make sure her engagement ring was still there.

He stared at her for a while, but eventually, his eyes started to wander. He used to have to fight and cheat to get a couple of minutes alone with her in her room. Now, he was lying naked with her in her bed. It was the same bed she was in when he begged her to watch his orangutan. It was the same bed that he hid in to cover for her while she was at the library studying. It was the same bed that Daniel Wallace tried unsuccessfully to get her into. _Ha!_ Now, Steve Urkel was naked, holding her nude body close. Now, he could feel his cum leaking out of her as she slept. Now, she wore his ring.

His eyes wandered the room to take in the moment. He glanced around and saw an old cheerleading trophy. He thought of her in that uniform and looked down at her. He pulled the comforter up again to see her body. He was one lucky guy. He saw their prom picture, and he smiled. He didn't know when she had put that up, but he felt pretty proud to be framed in her room. Not far from that picture, he saw a picture of her and Stefan in Paris. _Ha!_ he thought. _Beat him, too!_ And he had given her ample opportunity to choose Stefan. For some reason, though, he couldn't tear his eyes away from that picture.

 **-Present Day-**

"After you fell asleep, I saw a picture of you and Stefan in Paris. I thought about how much you loved that trip. I thought about what I had told you earlier, that he could give you an 'exciting, glamorous life', and I couldn't. I realized that I was being selfish. I realized that being with someone because you can't imagine your life without them is not a good enough reason. I was just trying to help you make the right decision."

"But it was the wrong decision, Steve!" Laura cried. "He wasn't right for me!"

"I know that, now, but I didn't know that then. I literally designed him to be the perfect guy for you. How could I have possibly thought I could compare to him?"

The tears were coming faster now. "You didn't even say goodbye," she whispered.

"I couldn't, Laura," Steve whispered back. He was beginning to cry too. "I wouldn't have been able to go through with it." He moved to hug her, but she pushed past him, shaking her head. "Laura, I am _so_ sorry," he pleaded with her. "I promise you I will never leave you again."

"No," she confirmed, "you won't. I am never going to give you the chance to do that to me again."

"Laura…"

"NO," she said more firmly. "I can deal with heartbreak, but I have kids, now. I am not bringing you into their lives, just so they can lose you, too."

"I would _never_ do to that to them, or to you." He paused, "Laura, do you still love me?"

"Love dies pretty fast after the kind of stuff you pulled."

"You didn't answer me."

"No," she said, trying as hard to convince herself as she was him, "I am not still in love with you."

He didn't believe that lie for a second, but he had to accept it for now. He moved close to her again. "I think I have been very clear up to this point, but just because I haven't said it yet, I'll say it now. I still love you with all of my heart, Laura. I haven't thought about another woman since I left you. I will do anything to win you back. I want to marry you. I want to legally adopt your children. I want to have more kids with you. I want to grow old with you. We still have time, Laura. I will be as patient as I have to be, but I _will_ wear you down."

She remained silent.

"Until that day," he continued, "I will do what I can to be your friend, and I think that as your friend, my job right now is to serve your lunch and change the subject." He moved to the larger table and grabbed two salads. He uncovered them and brought them to the table. He sat back in his chair and began to eat. She remained standing.

"I'm glad that we talked about this, Sweetums. We clearly have some problems to work through, but this was a good start."

He took several forkfuls of salad. "So, today, we have a meeting with all of my VP's and their assistants."

He was really just going to transition like that? She tried to stay frigid, but God, she was hungry. Plus, if he was going to talk about work stuff, she kind of had to let him. She took a seat, and their lunch date relaxed.

They talked about the rest of their day, and she even answered some questions about the kids. She felt oddly better having gotten some of her emotions out, but she thought it was strange that he could so easily pull them out of her, while also being able to help her pull herself back together after.

As they chatted about the mundane, and had the best meal Laura had ever eaten, she found herself pondering his question. Did she still love him? She liked to tell herself that she didn't. She told herself that she only still cried about that day because she was so mad at him. She told herself that it hurt her that her _friend_ could do something like that to her. She told herself that the butterflies in her stomach every time that she saw him were because she had been uncomfortable around him since that day. She told herself that that warm feeling she got every time he touched her was just because it had been so long since she'd had been touched at all. She told herself there was no such thing as soul mates or meant-to-be's… but what did she know? She was sharing lunch with a billionaire that she once forced to eat Play-Dough. Her life had been completely out of her control since the day she had developed feelings for Steve Urkel.


	4. Chapter 4

Their meal ended without further incident, and he walked her back inside, while the many men returned to clear their lunch. She headed for the door, but he grabbed her hand. "Wait!" he said. "I have something to show you." Not releasing her hand, he led the way to his desk and had her sit in his chair. He leaned over her to wake up his computer, while also taking another peek at her cleavage.

She allowed herself to enjoy his manly scent as he leaned over her. She closed her eyes and inhaled. When she opened them, the screen was bright and displaying footage of the daycare center.

"I have been checking in on the boys from time to time," he said as if watching her kids were the most natural thing in the world for him. "I thought you might want to see how they're adjusting." He pulled up the infant room and zoomed in on Elijah, in the middle of a nap.

"Ooh," she cooed, her hand covering her heart. She was glad to see her baby was okay without her. She was a little more concerned about Michael, though.

Reading her mind, though not literally this time, Steve switched to the toddler room and flipped through a couple of camera views until he found Michael. He zoomed in, and Laura beamed.

He was playing with another little boy, and he was completely at ease. He was even laughing. She watched him play for a minute, and Steve watched her watching.

He leaned down a little closer. "Now, I can't give you my access codes to the security cameras, because that's a pretty major breach of a lot of company policies, but anytime you need to see them, Sweetums, just ask."

"Thank you, Steve," she said, her eyes locked on the screen. "I really needed this."

"Take your time, Laura Lee," he stood back up, and she relaxed, getting some distance between them. Only then, he started to massage her shoulders. She knew that he'd stop if she asked him to, and she knew that she should stop him, but it felt so good to have someone try to take care of her again. She found herself leaning back into him. She uncrossed her legs and spread them slightly, out of sight, under his desk. Maybe she should just give in. Maybe she should just do something for herself for the first time in five years. Heck, she could just use him for his body, if she wanted to. He certainly deserved it.

Just as she was contemplating her options, someone tried to turn the doorknob. Laura jumped, immediately re-crossing her legs, but Steve kept massaging her. "It's locked, my pet," he whispered.

"Mr. U?" Richard called through the door.

"Use the intercom, Richard," Steve ordered, still not stopping his massage.

"Mr. U?" Richard said through the intercom.

"Could you hit that blue button for me, Sweetheart?" he asked, refusing to stop what he was doing until she asked him to. He kneaded the knots in her upper back, disappointed that he found so many. He just wanted to relieve her stresses anyway that she'd allow him to.

She reached forward and pushed the button, though she was starting to feel like an exhibitionist. The one-way glass wasn't helping. An innocent shoulder massage was just that, innocent, but could your ex-boyfriend, ex-fiancé really, and current boss give you an innocent shoulder massage? Her face flushed as she watched the interns hard at work while she sat there being pleasured by Steve.

"What's up, Richard?" he asked once the line was open.

"I just wanted to remind you that you have that meeting with the VP's in fifteen minutes."

 _Thank God!_ Laura thought as his hands left her shoulders. It was not that she wasn't enjoying it. She just wasn't sure she should be enjoying it. She thought the decision she had to make between Stefan and Steve was the most confusing thing she'd ever experience. However, now as she sat trying to decide whether she loved, liked, hated, or wanted to screw Steve, she thought it might be best to just avoid the situation until her feelings were clearer. She was glad to have a distraction.

"We should let the interns set up for the meeting." He pressed the blue button, closing the line, and walked away from her to unlock the door.

The rest of their day was uneventful. All of their meetings went well. All parties were very professional, though she caught several men, many of whom were older than her and Steve combined, ogling her in her skirt. Thankfully, Steve didn't seem to notice.

At five o'clock, their day ended, and he turned to her, "You survived!"

She smiled. "I did! It was rough, and I am exhausted, but all in all, I think it was a decent day."

"It was a fantastic day," he countered. He walked to where she was standing, leaning against the conference table. He stood in front of her. He wanted to just throw her up on the table and hump her until she couldn't walk straight, but he knew better. He knew that seducing Laura Winslow was a waiting game. That girl couldn't be convinced to do anything she didn't want to do, so he had to make her want to. He stood, staring at her intensely, daring her to give him a sign.

He was mere inches from her, and while she enjoyed the fact that she was off the clock, so anything she did now wouldn't make her a whore, she realized that being off the clock meant that she had to go get her kids. "Michael and Elijah are waiting for me, Steve." She stepped to the side, sliding out from her tight position.

"I'll go with you," he said cheerfully, accepting that he didn't get a sign today.

"No, Steve, you can't do that," she said.

"Why not?" he challenged. "I didn't really get the chance to meet them this morning. I'd very much like to, Laura."

Laura sighed, not sure how far she was willing to take their "friendship" at work. If he walked her to and from daycare every day, which was obviously his plan, people would talk. Did she care if people talked about them? If she knew that she wasn't sleeping with him, wasn't that enough? What if she started sleeping with him? She found herself considering it more and more. Then those rumors would just be slightly ahead of the truth.

After a long moment, she decided she was overthinking it. He was her friend. He wanted to get to know her kids. There was nothing unreasonable about that. "Ok," she relented, "but you better be on your best behavior in that elevator, Mister."

 _My, my, my._ The playful banter was back! "Remember, it's 'Doctor' now, Ms. Winslow," he teased.

She shook her head at him. "C'mon, Steve," she said, rolling her eyes.

She grabbed her stuff from the desk and said goodnight to the interns, knowing full well that every single one of them noticed that she and Steve left together.

They stepped in the elevator, and Steve made an attempt to move behind her again. "No," she said stopping him. "I meant it, Steve. Other side of the elevator, please." When he made no move, she gave him her mean look. " _Now_ ," she ordered.

He raised his eyebrows but complied. _Was that her Mom voice?_ He found himself oddly turned on by that. Working with Laura was going to give him super strength in his right arm, he realized.

They rode the elevator in silence, and they could have cut the sexual tension with a knife. What was it about elevators? Laura was very relieved when the doors opened, both to be away from the elevator and to be on her way to pick up her children. She practically ran to the daycare center.

When she and Steve walked in, everyone turned again. _They'll get used to it, eventually,_ Laura thought.

Immediately, Jenna walked up to greet them, "Hidy-ho, Dr. Urkel! Hello, Ms. Winslow."

Laura's brow furrowed, suddenly convinced that every woman in this office wanted Steve, which was very _Twilight Zone._ She glanced around the room and found that many of the young women were fixing their hair or even bending over. Was she reading too much into all of this? Her mind flashed back to all those tabloids that covered the billionaire bachelor, Steve Urkel. Huh. Maybe Steve being sexy wasn't just a secret she shared with Myra anymore. Subconsciously, she stepped closer to him.

Steve jumped slightly as her hand brushed his hip. Was she about to put her arm around him? He was disappointed as her hand fell back to her side. _Oh, what the heck._ Taking her hint, he put an arm around her waist and pulled her closer. She allowed herself to be pulled into him, and she turned toward him slightly. Her breasts brushed his ribcage. He rubbed her arm and waited for Laura to speak, but when she didn't, Jenna did.

"Are you here for Michael and Elijah?" she asked, her mood dampening.

"Huh?" Laura was legitimately distracted by Steve's touch. She wasn't just trying to torture the women in the room who were after her man… Not that he was, in any way, _her_ man. "Oh, um. Yes," she smiled, a little embarrassed.

"Ok," Jenna and a couple of the other ladies went to gather the boys.

Steve released Laura, hoping to make a better impression on Michael than he would if his hands were all over his mom. He reached out and slipped her purse off her shoulder and onto his own.

"Oh, you don't have to do that," she said, crossing her arms protectively, disappointed to be without his touch.

"I don't mind, Sweetums," he assured her.

"I know, but if Michael had a good day, he'll be happy to walk. I'll have an arm free."

"Won't you want to hold his hand in scary office buildings and parking structures?"

"Well, yeah, but I can do that and carry stuff, Steve."

"I'm sure you _can_. If I hadn't been there this morning, I'm sure you would have gotten here just fine on your own, but if I can make your life a little easier, Sweetums, I'm going to."

She nodded and reminded herself that sometimes it was impossible to deny Steve's help. "Thank you, Steve."

"No sweat, my pet," he grinned.

"Mommy!" she heard Michael yell as he ran out of the toddler room. She went to bend to lift him, but minding her skirt, she squatted, instead.

Steve couldn't help but watch as her butt strained against her tight skirt. _Yowza_!

She took Michael into her arms and squeezed him tightly. Standing back up, she held him for a moment. She felt like herself again with her baby in her arms. "So, how was your day, Mikey? Did you have fun?"

"Yeah," he said, looking shyly at Steve.

"What did you do all day?"

"Played," he answered, hugging her a little tighter, still staring at Steve.

"So are you excited to come back tomorrow?"

"Yeah."

Laura noticed the way he was fixated on Steve and figured there was no better time than the present. "Good, Baby. I'm glad. Hey, do you want to meet one of Mommy's best friends in the entire world?" she asked brightly.

"Yeah," he said tightening his grip again.

She took a few steps closer to Steve and faced him. "This is Uncle Steve, Michael. You remember him from the pictures?"

"Yeah," he said.

"And from this morning?"

"Yeah," he started to play with her necklace, looking away from Steve shyly.

Laura nodded and smiled at Steve. She gestured toward Michael with her head, encouraging him to say something.

Steve took a deep breath. He was very nervous about this for some reason. He was always good with kids - they were some of the only people in the world who liked him - but this was different. He had every intention of becoming this kid's father. How do you introduce yourself to your future son?

"Hi, Michael," Steve said brightly, waving enthusiastically. "It's nice to meet you."

Michael stayed silent. Laura whispered, "Hey, what do you say?"

"It's nice to meet you, too," he mumbled.

Laura looked at Steve apologetically, but he didn't seem flustered at all.

He was flustered, but he didn't look it to her. He carefully concealed it so she would see what a good dad he could be. "Hey, Michael, I got you a present to celebrate your first day at daycare." He felt no shame in buying his love.

Laura raised an eyebrow, "You did?"

Michael finally looked up at Steve again, and Steve pulled a tiny box out of his pocket. It was wrapped and everything. He handed it to Michael.

Michael unwrapped it excitedly to find a little toy car. "Coooool," he said.

Laura relaxed when she saw what it was. She was afraid Steve had bought something extravagant. A toy car she could deal with. "What do you say?" she prodded again, carefully setting him down.

Steve was crouched to pick up the wrapping paper; and Michael rushed over to give him a one-handed side hug, knocking him down.

"Oof," Steve said as he hit the ground.

"Thank you, Uncle Steve." Michael got on all fours and started to drive the little car around the room as they waited for Elijah.

Laura looked at Steve. "Thank you, Steve. That was very sweet."

Steve smiled as he stood. "Don't be too touched by it, Sweetums. I'm just… investing in my future."

She rolled her eyes. "It was still very nice."

"I'm glad you think so," he turned as Elijah was being brought out. "The rest of the presents are already in your car."

Laura whipped her head around to him, but Eli was quickly thrust into her arms, along with a diaper bag. She struggled with them both, but Steve removed the diaper bag and slipped it over his own shoulder, along with her purse.

She exhaled, knowing there was no point in arguing over the presents if he already had them in her car, though she was a little concerned about how he had gotten them there.

They thanked the workers at the center, all of whom were far nicer to Steve than to Laura, and they walked out. Laura held Eli in his carrier and took Michael by the hand. Steve carried the bags. They slipped into Steve's private elevator, and as they rode down to the garage, Steve started talking to Michael about his house, though he was bragging just as much for Laura's benefit.

"Do you have a pool?" Michael asked.

"I sure do," Steve replied.

"Is it inside or outside?"

"Half of it's inside, half's outside," Steve said with a goofy, thoughtful look, trying to give the most accurate answer.

"Can I come over and swim in it?" he asked.

 _All right!_ Steve was doing way better than he thought he would with this kid. "Abso-tutle-utely, but your mom has to bring a swimsuit, too," he looked up at her and winked.

Laura was fine with him trying to bond with Michael, but he was taking this too far now. He couldn't make promises like that to the boys because then it was her fault when she didn't follow through, and she had no intention of going over to his house any time soon. That was just asking for trouble.

"Yay!" Michael said. He reached back to tap on Laura's leg. "When can we go, Mommy?"

"We'll see, Baby," she said, glaring at Steve.

 _Oh, boy._ Now, what had he done? Steve was honestly having a hard time finding her boundaries, and he was starting to think it was because she had no idea where they were.

They walked out to her car, and she put the boys into their seats. When they were safely inside, and Steve had taken a moment to introduce himself to Eli, who gurgled in delight, she shut the doors. She turned to Steve and glared silently, her hands on her hips.

He waited for her to yell, but getting nothing, he just had to ask, "Ok, what'd I do?"

"We are not going to your house, Steve! That would be completely inappropriate."

"We're friends, Laura. You can come to my house, especially if you bring kids. How much more innocent can it be?"

"It's not happening, Steve," she said, suddenly exasperated. "Now, I'm gonna have to be the bad guy and tell Michael that."

"Blame me," he volunteered selflessly. "Tell him I had to drain my pool because I peed in it!"

"Why would you want me to blame you? Then he would be mad at _you_."

"Well, I don't want you to be the bad guy when you don't have to be. You're already the one that makes them eat vegetables. No need to add to that."

 _Hm. What is with this guy?_ She was again amazed at how quickly he was able to affect her feelings. She went from being furious with him for promising things she couldn't deliver to being deeply touched that he was more than willing to fall on the sword, even if it was a little one, all in an instant. When Stefan was around, which wasn't very much as a parent, he always let her be the bad guy. Now, she was the person who wouldn't take Michael to see Daddy, and that was way worse than vegetables.

She shook her head and said, "You know what? Don't worry about it. I'll see you tomorrow." She opened the car door, slipped in, and shut it forcefully.

Steve kicked himself for blowing it at the last second like that, but as had happened many times throughout the day, he discovered he may not have blown it at all.

Laura rolled down her window and smiled sweetly, "Thanks again, Steve, for everything." Then she backed up and drove away before he had time to respond.

That night, just after Laura had put the boys to bed, she was sitting in the kitchen talking to her parents about her day. She was finally back in a pair of jeans and a comfortable sweater. Her father was caught up on her lunch.

"He served you lobster?"

"Yes, Daddy. I said that."

"But lobster!"

"He's a billionaire, Carl," Harriette replied. "I think he can spring for some nice shellfish."

"But it was her first day! What did she do to earn lobster?"

Harriette smirked, "She wore that skirt."

Carl cringed.

Laura's face fell into her hands, and she groaned. "Ugggghhhh. Mom, c'mon. It wasn't my fault."

"Oh, Honey, I know. You can borrow something from me for tomorrow."

"I don't think much will fit me, will it?"

"We can try. Besides, you have a mom-body, now. You may be surprised."

"Mom!"

Carl started to grumble, as he stood to grab another cookie. "She puts on a short, tight skirt and gets lobster. I practically raise the kid, and I don't even get a phone call."

Laura lifted her head from her hands, looking at her dad with some sympathy. She was always surprised when her father talked about Steve that way. When Steve was here, Carl Winslow was the last person to miss Steve Urkel. Yet, when he left, he was deeply hurt. Laura noticed, but she was so caught up in her own heartbreak and trying so hard to force herself into a wedding, that she never really had time to care. Now, as her friendship with Steve was on the mend, and her relationship with Stefan was completely over, she was able to see her father's pain a little more clearly. Steve pestered him for years, but he was like a father to Steve, and he opened his home to him. Then one day, he left. Steve never said goodbye. He never called. He never left an address. He just disappeared. Carl spent the first few months expecting him to come back. He spent the next few expecting him to at least contact him. Then he started to get a little miffed, which he used to cover the fact that he was actually quite hurt. In fact, the only person, other than Laura, who seemed more upset by Steve's disappearance than Carl was her grandmother. That made sense. They were close, but her father reacting the way he did really surprised her.

"Oh, Carl. Not this again," Harriette said. "Laura broke his heart, and he left. What did you expect to happen when they started dating?"

 _Ouch_. Laura looked down at the lines in the table. She had never told anyone what really happened between her and Steve. At first, it was too hard. Then she wanted to make sure that Stefan never found out that he was her second choice. Now, though she had no reason to let them continue to blame her, she didn't want to drudge up the past. She sat in silence.

" _That_. I expected that," Carl conceded, sitting back down, "but I expected he'd come back eventually."

"I know you did, Carl." Harriette grabbed his hand and squeezed.

"Instead, we see him on the news. He's the first student in space. He's the youngest person to ever finish a PhD at MIT. He invented this. He invented that. He's a billionaire. Where's my lobster, Harriette?"

Laura interrupted, and she was a little meaner than she intended to be, "You never even liked him, Daddy. What do you care?"

Carl turned to her. She knew that wasn't true. She knew he liked Steve. He loved him a lot like a son. He just bugged him.

"I thought he cared about all of us, Laura. I thought he wanted to be an honorary Winslow, but then you hurt him, and he left. What does that say to you? It tells me that it was never about any of the rest of us. It tells me that I took years off my life not for a neglected kid who needed a little love, but a horny teenager who was only ever interested in my daughter."

Wow, he really was hurt. "That's too harsh, Daddy. You were like a father to Steve. Everything he is, he owes to this family. He knows that."

Carl shook his head. "He's got a funny way of showin' it. He's been back in Chicago for months now. He knows where the house is. It didn't move."

There was a knock at the back door. Harriette stood to get it, knowing that Laura and Carl were in a heated conversation, though they both went silent when they heard the door. Harriette opened it to a man whose face was covered in boxes and whose arms were covered in shopping bags.

"I have a delivery for Laura Wilson."

"Do you mean 'Winslow'?" Harriette asked, searching for his eyes through the mess.

"Yes! Winslow. That's right. Laurie Winslow."

"Laur _a_ Winslow."

"Maybe."

Laura stood. "I'm Laura Winslow," she said, approaching the door, "but I didn't order anything."

"Oh, no. This is a gift," the man replied.

Laura recognized the names of some of the nicest clothing stores and boutiques downtown on the bags and boxes. It suddenly became very clear where this delivery came from. She and Harriette reached for some of the bags and boxes, piling them up on the table. The delivery man followed suit and set the rest down. He turned to Laura.

"Oh, no! I don't have any cash. I am so sorry. Umm… How about a cookie? They're store-bought, but–"

"Oh, no. Don't worry. I wouldn't accept your tip. You're Dr. Urkel's new assistant, right?"

Laura nodded.

"He speaks very highly of you. My name is Maven Stork. I've been his driver for several years now." He held out his hand.

Laura extended hers, and they shook. "Oh, nice to meet you."

"You and I will likely be spending a lot of time together, so I hope you're nice."

She laughed, "I try to be."

He turned to head out. "Good. I'm sure I'll be seeing you soon then, Laurie."

Laura realized that Maven was a little older than most of Steve's employees, so she decided to let the name thing go.

He paused in the doorway. "Oh, and Dr. Urkel made me promise not to look in the big, black bag and to tell you I didn't peek. I don't know what's in it, but it must be good," he winked. He gently closed the door behind him.

Laura furrowed her brow and walked over to the bag he referred to. She opened it slowly and gasped. "Oh!"

"What is it?" Harriette asked, a little concerned.

Laura had no idea how to answer that question. "Umm… Can I plead the fifth?"

Harriette walked up to Laura and took the bag from her. She opened it to find a wide variety of panties and bras, though they were all rather risqué. _Humph_. "Laura Winslow," she scolded, "you better have a good reason that your boss is buying your undergarments."

She blushed.

"Undergarments?" Carl barked.

"He's not really my boss, Mom," Laura began, ignoring her father's reaction, "He's my… Steve."

" _Your_ Steve?"

"Well, yeah. I told him about the clothing problems I was having, and he… helped… in his own way. If he were really my boss, I never would have told him, so he never would have… but he's not really my boss. He's my…"

"Steve?" Harriette finished for her, returning the bag to the kitchen table.

"Yeah," Laura mumbled.

"Laura," her mother said, seriously concerned. "Are you sleeping with Steve?"

Carl started to choke on his cookie.

Laura looked at him with understanding. What a terrible conversation for him to have to sit through. "No, Mom," she promised.

"Because things aren't that bad. There's no reason to…"

"I'm not Mom. Things have been _intense_ between me and Steve the last couple of days, but we haven't…" she trailed off. "And I don't plan to. I have the boys now, and he has… billions of dollars. It's all just too complicated."

"Do you still have feelings for him, Laura?" her dad asked with concern, having recovered from his cookie incident.

"I don't know," she answered honestly. "I still… find him attractive, but I don't know if I still…"

Carl and Harriette appreciated her honesty. Laura wasn't always the most forthcoming, especially when something was hurting her pride, and this whole situation definitely was. They sensed her confusion and realized they wouldn't be able to get any answers out of her she didn't know herself. Harriette decided to lighten the mood a little, though the answer to her question was still very important.

"So," she began, "why the heck did he buy you lingerie?"

"Lingerie?!" Carl said, again surprised.

Laura again ignored him. She buried her face in her hands again and leaned onto the table. "I _so_ don't know, Mom. He has been very clear about his feelings, but honestly, this seems a little forward for him."

"All of this stuff isn't underwear, is it?" Carl asked, his face tightly scrunched.

Harriette picked a box at random. "No," she answered. "This one is a killer pantsuit."

Carl opened another. "Oh, I found a very professional skirt/blazer combo."

"Guuuuys," Laura whined. "C'mon. I can't keep this stuff. Please, don't torture me."

"Can't keep it? Why not? It's free!" Carl encouraged.

"It's not free, Daddy. Steve had to pay for it."

"So what? Like your mother said about the lobster, he can afford it."

"Mom?" Laura looked to her mother, thinking she would back her up.

"Personally, I don't see a problem with you keeping it."

"Really?" Laura asked.

"Well, Laura, you do need new clothes. It's kind of like he's providing you with a uniform. Except the underwear. Give that back."

Laura stared for a moment at the table full of clothes. She didn't see herself with many other options. She could always pay him back later.

"Jackpot!" Carl shouted, before the ladies shushed him. "Sorry," he whispered, remembering the grandkids, "but I found jewelry." He flashed a rose gold bracelet at Laura.

 _Oh, wow._ She scolded herself internally for being so materialistic, but… _Wow._

Laura stood to grab her new things from the table. "I'm gonna have to write a killer thank-you note for this." She managed to gather half of it in her arms, and her father grabbed the rest.

As they carried the stuff upstairs, he said, "Ha! For all this stuff, you're gonna have to marry him."

 _If only…_

Steve went home that night to his big empty house and sat on his deck for a while. He stared out at Lake Michigan. That was one of his favorite parts about having money. He didn't care how big or fancy his house was, though it was a good investment. He liked being able to afford a house just outside of Chicago on the massive lake. He liked to look at it when he was feeling blue, which was often up until he received that note from Laura.

Now, he looked at the lake with a new vigor. He looked at everything with a new vigor. He had a goal in life again. He had inspiration. He had a muse…

He bought a boat… that night. He looked down at the lake, thought about what Laura would like, made a few calls, and a boat was scheduled to arrive on Saturday. Feeling like he accomplished something, he trotted up the stairs to go to bed.

He had spent much of the evening in a lingerie shop thinking about his lady love. When he finally got to bed, he couldn't resist the temptation. He stripped down to his birthday suit and slipped into his comfortable California King. He turned off the lights with his voice control and turned on some light jazz. Having set the mood, he started to think about his new boat and _her_ new underwear.

He slipped his hand under the sheets and got to work.

 _He was standing with her, at the edge of his new yacht. She was wearing a tight, low-cut, red dress. He had his arm around her waist, and he was caressing her hip._

 _He smiled at her. "You look ravishing tonight, my love."_

 _She looked away shyly. "Thank you, Steve."_

 _"Do you know what I want to do to you?" he whispered in her ear._

 _He felt her body shudder. She shook her head, her hair blowing in the breeze._

 _He moved his hand to squeeze her firm butt. "I want to make you mine," he growled._

 _She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck. He pulled at her butt to force her pelvis to press against his harder, to push her up against his hard member._

 _"I already am yours," she purred._

 _"Then prove it," he challenged._

 _She reached behind her and undid the zipper on her dress. She let it fall to the deck of the boat, and she stood before him, illuminated only by moonlight, wearing a lacy, red thong and a matching, see-through bra. Her heaving breasts nearly fell out of it. She walked up to him again and pressed her nearly nude body against him. His arms fell back around her and landed on her butt, again. Now, he could massage her bare cheeks._

 _"I'm wearing the lingerie you bought me. I'm alone with you on your boat. Your big hands are on my booty. I am yours, Steve Urkel," she whispered._

"You're mine, Laura," he repeated aloud, stroking hard. "Show me your breasts."

 _She quickly undid her bra and exposed her breasts for him. He moved his hands up to knead them. She moaned for him. "They're yours now, Steve. My tits are all yours."_

 _He moved down and started to suck on her nipples. She stroked his head and pulled him close, encouragingly. He slid her thong to the side and slipped a finger inside of her._

 _She was already wet for him. "Who does this belong to?" he purred._

 _"Mmmm… Youuuuu…" she cooed._

 _"You're never gonna let some other guy touch it again?"_

 _"No, Steve. It's yours. I'm yours."_

 _"Good girl," he whispered, pushing a second finger inside her as she gasped._

"Good girl. Good girl," he growled and stroked.

 _She started to whimper for him. "Can we go inside? I'm ready for you, Steve."_

 _He pumped his fingers in and out of her. "No," he said firmly. He pulled his fingers out of her and led her by the hand to the captain's seat. He sat down and pulled his manhood out of his pants._ "Ride me, Laura," he ordered.

 _She smiled at him and climbed into his lap. She left her panties on and slid them to the side as she sat down on his hard cock. She moved slowly, but he grew impatient and pushed her all the way down on him._

He growled, "Yeeeeeeeeeessssssss…"

 _"Oooo," she whimpered, taking him all at once. "You're so big."_

 _He stroked her back for a moment while she adjusted._

"Bounce on me, Pet. Bounce in my lap."

 _Laura started to move up and down on his manhood, and he watched her tits jiggle with every bounce. She started to bounce faster on him and…_

Steve came suddenly, all over his sheets. _Darn_. Now he'd have to wash them. It could wait until morning, he acknowledged, and he drifted off to nappyland, excited to see what good luck tomorrow would bring.


	5. Chapter 5

When Maven opened the door, Steve stepped out of his car in the parking structure. He looked up to see Laura's junker pulling in next to him. Maven got back into the driver's seat and headed off to run a few errands.

Steve paused in front of Laura's car, waiting for her. She waved as she slid out. She immediately moved to the backseat to get the kids, and Steve watched her fixedly.

She was wearing a dress that he had sent over the night before. It was a deep purple, and it fit her perfectly. It was low-cut, but in a powerful way, not an unprofessional way. As she bent forward to help the kids out their car seats, Steve got a good look at her deep cleavage. Her chest shook with each movement. She stood back up, and Michael climbed out of the backseat. She turned away from Steve to head to the other door for Eli, and Steve watched her hips sway as she walked. Her dress was tight, but not the way her skirt had been. This dress said that she was beautiful, but also a strong member of the workforce. Plus, her ass looked fantastic in it. Steve bit his lip. He couldn't help but imagine she was also wearing a bra and panty set that he had picked out. He started to imagine what was underneath her dress, but was unfortunately distracted when Michael ran up to him.

Michael wrapped his arms around Steve's legs and said, "Thank you for all the cars, Uncle Steve. There must have been at least eight of them."

Steve snorted. There were far more than eight of them in that collector's edition, but he was glad he liked them. "You are more than welcome, Little Buddy!" he chirped, reaching down to pat his head. Feeling brave as Laura approached them with the baby, the diaper bag, and her purse in hand, he bent to lift Michael into his arms.

Laura paused, afraid that Michael would go into stranger-danger mode, but he didn't. He held on to Steve comfortably. She wondered if that was because he liked Steve or because he looked so much like his dad.

Steve moved forward and took the bags from Laura. With the bags on his strong shoulder and Michael in his other arm, Laura noticed how fatherly it looked. She also noticed how sexy he looked when he played Super Dad.

"Good morning, Sunshine," he said to her. "You look phenomenal this morning."

"Thank you, Steve." She didn't know what to say, but she knew that wasn't enough. She decided to let it go until they were alone.

"And you were even on time!" he teased. "I always knew you rolled outta bed lookin' gorgeous."F

She blushed and started toward the elevator, trying to escape his compliments. She appreciated them, and she certainly didn't receive enough of them anymore, but it was really weird in front of her kids.

He turned to Michael as he followed behind her. "Doesn't your mom look exquisite today?"

"Yeah," Michael agreed. "What does exqu-iz-it mean?"  
They climbed into the elevator. "Really, really good," Steve said.

"Yeah," Michael agreed.

"Thank you, Baby," she said, pinching Michael's cheek.

"You're welcome," Steve responded.

"She wasn't talking to you!" Michael laughed a big, little kid laugh.

"She wasn't?" Steve asked, feigning surprise. "Darn!"

Michael giggled again.

Laura could not believe her eyes. Michael never took to people this quickly.

Steve turned suddenly in her direction. "What did you think, Eli?"

Elijah cooed.

"Well, no. I don't think she was talking to the Lindbergh Baby." He paused and Eli burped. He responded to him again, "Well, mainly because he was kidnapped."

Now, it was Laura's turn to laugh. He was so _weird_.

Michael looked at Steve, perplexed. "Eli doesn't talk."

"He doesn't?" Steve said, shocked again. "Well, then whose voice have I been hearing?" he exclaimed.

Michael shrugged and laughed. They stepped out and walked to the daycare center. When they entered, Jenna was there to meet them.

"Good morning, Doc! I'm surprised to see you here again. You'd think Ms. Winslow would be able to find this place on her own by now."

Laura's mouth dropped. It did not take Jenna long to go from suspicious to catty. Quickly, Laura adjusted her expression, smiling just a little too sweetly.

Steve completely missed the subtleties before him. "Oh, she certainly could. I just like to see the kids."

Laura looked smugly at the woman who was shaping up to be her new rival. Of course, for Steve's heart, there was no close competition, except, Laura suddenly remembered, she was pretty clear about being out of the game. She looked at Steve, concerned she was about to let him slip away again.

They said goodbye to the kids and started to walk toward the elevator. When they got in, she couldn't help but stare at him. He was well-behaved today. He stayed on the other side of the elevator. He didn't push her. He didn't tempt her. She suddenly realized that he was remembering he had to follow boundaries, only she wasn't sure she liked where she put them. She turned to him, "Steve, I –"

The doors opened to his bustling office. All of the interns had beaten them there, and all of them seemed to need something from both of them. Laura forced herself to get out of her head and into her work, reminding herself that the most important thing was to work hard so her sons could have a better life. She wasn't here to flirt or to find a new husband.

She managed to avoid workplace complications in the morning, but at lunchtime, Steve strolled up to her desk. "C'mon, Laura," he beckoned.

"It's lunch, Steve. You don't have a meeting."

"Not a meeting," he replied, waving to her again.

She followed him. He turned to the interns, "We'll be back in about an hour." They stepped into the elevator, and again he was behaving himself.

She turned to him. "Where are we going?"

"Out to lunch," he replied.

"I packed a lunch."

"You did?" He hadn't expected that. "Why?"

"Um, because we didn't have plans for lunch?"

"Sweetums, you can just assume that we have a standing date," he said, a little surprised he had to explain that to her.

 _What?_ "I will not assume that, Steve."

"Ok, but then you're going to waste a lot of PB and J's in your lunchbox."

She gawked at him, but she continued to follow as the doors opened. He opened the car door for her, and she slipped inside, noticing the privacy screen that separated them from Maven. "How could you be so presumptuous?" she asked as he sat beside her.

"I thought I was pretty clear."

"You weren't."

"Ok, well, then Laura, would you like to have lunch with me today?" he asked, smiling at her.

"I don't know. I'm already here, I guess," she said frustrated.

"Then let's go!" he chirped.

He switched the conversation back to work while they drove. He could tell she was uncomfortable, so he tried to make their lunch seem more innocent than he really intended it to be. As far as he was concerned, this was a date.

She watched intently out the window, trying to figure out where they were going. He refused to tell her. They eventually pulled up to a marina at the edge of the city. Maven opened the door, and Steve stepped out. He offered his hand to Laura as she pulled herself from the car, but she ignored it.

"Where are we, Steve?"

"At the marina!" he beamed gesturing as Maven drove away from them. Steve started to walk toward the docks, and Laura followed.

"I can see that, but why this marina? And why a marina? And how is this lunch?" she interrogated.

"You are just full of questions today, aren't you, Missy?"

"When quirky billionaires take me to marinas I tend to ask questions to avoid being murdered."

He snorted, "Murdered? If that were my plan, I think I could have hired some guys to do it for me. No point in getting' my hands dirty."

"Not helping, Steve." They reached the dock, and she slipped off her heels. She didn't feel like breaking an ankle today.

"I wasn't trying to help, my pet." He stopped as they reached one of the yachts. He checked the name to be sure. Yup, this was the one. "Here we are, my love."

Laura looked at the yacht in front of her. It wasn't the biggest in the area, but it was still a friggin' yacht. "Is this yours, Steve?"

"Mm-hm," he smiled proudly. "I just called about her last night, and I signed the papers bright and early this morning. They're not delivering until Saturday, but they said I could stop by for a while today."

Laura was so caught up on the fact that he bought a yacht in a day, she almost missed the name. "Laura Lee?" she asked meekly.

"Would you expect me to call her anything else?"

"No," she admitted, though she couldn't say she was comfortable with it. "Why did you buy a boat, Steve?"

"I thought you'd like it," he answered honestly.

"Steve, you can't just buy crazy expensive things because you think I'd like them!"

"You seem comfortable enough in the clothes."

She covered herself protectively and looked away embarrassed. "I needed the clothes, Steve."

 _Oh, no_. "No, Sweetums. I know that. Please, don't feel bad. I didn't mean…"

She looked up at him and saw the compassion in his eyes. He made it so hard to be mad at him. "This is too much, Steve."

"No," he replied. "This doesn't belong to you. It's not a gift. I just wanted to have one and spend time with you on it. I have a great waterfront at home. I thought you and the kids may want to go for a ride by the city or swim out in the lake. I thought it'd be fun."

"I told you we can't come to your house, Steve."

"But maybe someday?"

"No, Steve," she insisted.

He sighed. "Well, tell me that after I give you the tour." He stepped onto the boat and offered her his hand. She reluctantly took it, and he helped her aboard.

Again, he didn't spend an enormous amount on the boat, at least in comparison to what he could have, but it was by far the biggest boat Laura had ever been on. It had a couple of tiny bedrooms, multiple bathrooms. It had indoor and outdoor seating areas. It had a little kitchen. He took her up to the top deck where she saw a picnic he had laid out for them.

She was mostly silent during the tour, not knowing exactly how to react. Who had this kind of disposable income? He could have paid for a kid's tuition several times over instead of buying a boat.

Eventually, sitting down at their picnic, she was forced to speak. "Steve, how much money do you donate every year?" she asked shamelessly.

His eyebrows rose. He was surprised she was so forward. "It varies a little. I could have someone check for you when we get back to the office."

"That's not really necessary," she said. They were both seated on the blanket he laid out, and her legs were folded behind her. She accepted a champagne flute as he offered it to her, assuming correctly that it was again only sparkling juice. She took a sip. "Do you really think this was the best use of your money?"

"Oh, Laura, relax. I have plenty."

"I know, Steve, but you've always been very generous, especially with me. Maybe you didn't really need this. It worries me that you spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on a whim just to impress me. Couldn't you have put that money to better use?"

 _Ha! Hundreds of thousands? That would have been a steal._ "Sweetheart, I promise, I am one of the most philanthropic men on the planet. This was definitely a splurge, but I like to spoil you."

That was exactly her point. "I don't need to be spoiled, Steve."

"Do you want me to sell it?" he asked, sad that his idea had been such a failure.

"It's not my boat, Steve."

"But I want it to be someday. If you were my wife, would you want to keep it or sell it?"

"You shouldn't be making decisions that way, Steve!" she pressed. "I'm not your wife. I'm _never_ going to be."

"Oh, don't say _never_ , Laura. We don't know what's going to happen. There was a time that you would have said you could never love me, but you did love me. You would have said that you'd never give me your virginity, but you did."

"You would have said that you'd never leave me, but you did," she countered.

He went silent.

"I just don't want you investing in something that may never happen, Steve," she admitted, meaning it both literally and figuratively.

"It's worth the risk, Laura Lee. You've always been worth the risk."

"Not always."

"Laura," he moved closer to her, "I will do whatever I have to to make it up to you. Just give me a chance."

"No," she said curtly.

"I hope you'll reconsider," he said. They were quiet for a moment as he pulled out the rest of their lunch. "Laura?" he asked.

"Yeah?"

"I am going to a charity gala next Friday night, and I was wondering if you'd be willing to go as my date."

She looked up at him. "C'mon, Steve. I told you I'm not dating."

"I know, but it doesn't have to be a _date_ date. We can go as friends," he suggested.

"I don't think so, Steve."

" _Please_ , Laura," he begged. "I have to take a date to this thing, and I _really_ want–"

"You should take Jenna," Laura suggested, as if she were trying to get back at herself for considering going with him.

"Jenna? Jenna who?"

"From the daycare center," she said, stubbornly sticking to her guns.

"Why would I take her?"

"Well, you said you _have to_ bring a date, and she obviously likes you." _What the heck are you doing, Laura?_

"Huh," Steve said, "she does?"

"Mm-hm," Laura nodded, feeling her stomach knotting, and not from the rocking of the boat.

"Well, I guess I could ask," he conceded.

 _Please, no._ "I think you should."

"I did buy a ticket for you, though. As my assistant, I'll need you there."

"You will? Why?" She was suspicious that this was all some ploy to make her jealous, but that didn't make any sense. She had suggested half of it!

"I'll need you to meet some important people and develop working relationships with them. I'll also need you there to help me with my speech."

"You have to give a speech?"

"Yup! So, you'll be there?"

"Is it optional?" she asked.

"Well, it wouldn't be for any other assistant, and it's not for the interns, so… no? Is that ok?"

"Of course, Steve," she answered. "Thank you for treating me like an employee, for a change." Great, now she was going to have to watch him date someone else.

He spent the rest of their lunch talking about the gala and what she should expect. He also dropped a few hints about how important his donations were to the cause. Laura didn't hear a word of it, as her mind was on Jenna, and Steve noticed she was distracted for the rest of the day.

She was even quiet when they picked up the kids. Laura watched as Steve asked Jenna if she'd like to join him at the gala. She also watched as Jenna accepted and took the time to sneer at Laura. Laura felt like she had been stabbed in the gut again, only this time, it was self-inflicted. She had no idea how she was going to get through that night.

On the night of the gala, everyone met in the lobby to wait for the limos. The three interns, several vice presidents, their dates, Jenna, Steve, and Laura were all dressed to the nines. Steve had sent over a gown for Laura the night before. He was not surprised that she looked incredible in it.

Her hair was up, so her slender neck showed. She wore diamond earrings that drew attention to her face. She wore bright red lipstick that made her lips look full and kissable. It also made her smile look even brighter, though Steve noticed she hadn't been doing much of that tonight. The satin gown he had bought for her clung perfectly to her every curve. It was backless and showed her incredible skin. The cut in the front was deep so it displayed her cleavage, and Steve couldn't keep his eyes off of it. The unforgiving fabric showed off her flat stomach and her round butt. There weren't many moms who could rock a dress like that. Steve wasn't sure if his loving eyes were tricking him or if she was really that stunning. Based on some of the perverted stares he picked up from some of his vice presidents, most of whom were over sixty, he guessed he wasn't the only one who saw her that way.

Laura noticed him, too. She hadn't seen him in a tuxedo since prom, and she couldn't peel her eyes away, which was terrible for her because Jenna was hanging all over him. Laura couldn't help but notice the way his glasses brought out his eyes against the dull backdrop of his tux. He filled it out well, too. Every time he turned, her eyes were drawn to his butt. _Mm_.

As the limos arrived, Steve reluctantly offered his arm to his date. He looked back at Laura, who smiled brightly, but something looked off. He knew she still had feelings for him. _Why would she suggest this? It must be killing her._

Laura cringed as Steve offered Jenna his arm, but she smiled politely as she followed them out of the building. Jenna was beautiful, she noticed. She was thin and fit. Her breasts and her butt were kind of small, but they were certainly perky. Her caramel skin looked great against the deep brown of her dress. Her hair looked great. Her makeup was a little trampy for Laura's taste. Still, she had to acknowledge that she was hot. Laura had set Steve up with a hot date who was totally into him, though that may have just been for his money. _That's not fair, Laura_ , she thought to herself. _Any other woman who finds Steve attractive must be a gold digger? Who's the one who keeps profiting from his lavish gifts?_ Her face became serious as she started to realize her hypocrisy. She only wanted Jenna to be a gold digger so she didn't risk losing Steve. That really wasn't fair to either of them.

Laura was surprised to see that Maven was their chauffeur. He waved to her excitedly and held the door for everyone. The vice presidents rode in the second limo, so the interns climbed in first. Then Steve helped Jenna in and got in himself. Laura followed behind him, taking the seat on his other side, a little disappointed he hadn't offered her a hand. _He's on a date, Laura. You turned him down. Stop being a brat._

As they drove, Steve sat in silence, pretending to listen to Jenna babble. To be completely honest, he couldn't have gotten a D if she gave him a pop quiz on her story. His eyes focused on Jenna, but his mind revolved completely around Laura. Why did she want him to date Jenna? Why did she refuse to go with him, even as a friend? Why would she accept his gifts but not give him the time of day? Did she only want his help and his money? If that was the case, why did she look at him the way she did?

Steve was a wreck, and Laura was no better. _Why won't he look at me? Why is he smiling at her? God, Steve! Just touch me!_

When they pulled up to the gala, both Laura and Steve were thrilled to be out of that enclosed space with the jabbering Jenna. Even the interns seemed annoyed by her. They went into the gala and started to mingle. Laura followed closely behind Steve and Jenna, being introduced over and over again as his assistant. Sure, she was his assistant, but she was also the love of his life. He couldn't let that slip once. Laura realized she really had no right to complain, though. She had chosen to come as an employee. Jenna, however, was clearly miffed that Steve referred to her only as his "friend". Laura actually started to feel bad for her.

When Jenna excused herself to run to the restroom, Laura pulled Steve aside.

"Sweetums, as sexy as you look in that dress," he crooned, "I have a date tonight. I can't make out with you… _here_."

Laura rolled her eyes. "I wasn't offering," she asserted. She sighed, not really wanting to be this nice tonight. "Look, Steve, Jenna is obviously annoyed that you're introducing her as your 'friend', so you should probably switch to 'date'."

Steve furrowed his brow. "But she is only a friend. Sweetheart, you know who my heart belongs to."

" _I_ know, Steve, but _she_ doesn't."

"But, Laura," he whined, "I don't wanna lie to her. I don't want this to be another Myra situation. I don't want to take advantage of anybody's feelings for me."

Wow. He thought she was going to be another Myra. _So, he isn't even going to consider the gold digger possibility? Okay._ "Steve, you can call your dates whatever you want. I'm just warning you; she's mad."

Well, someone certainly was. He took another step closer to Laura, seeing the fire in her eyes. "Laura Winslow, I told Jenna plain as day that we were only going as friends. If she didn't get the hint, that's on her."

"You did? You used those words?" She didn't remember that, but she realized her pulse was so loud in her ears, that she had never really heard what he'd said.

"Yes, my pet, I promise. This is completely innocent on my end." He took another step toward her and Laura realized he had backed her up against a wall. He reached toward her face and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "You are breathtaking, my love," he whispered.

Her heart started pounding, and she felt hot. These were good feelings, though. She was thrilled that her set-up wasn't as successful as she thought it had been. After all, she and Ted set him up with Myra. That lasted for years.

He leaned down to her ear. "I can't stop thinking about you in that dress. I just want–"

Suddenly, someone cleared her throat behind them.

 _Darn!_ Steve turned and stepped back from Laura to find Kelly staring at them.

"Your date's at the bar, and she's doing shots."

"Oh, let her!" Steve conceded. "Who can do these things sober, anyway?" he turned back to Laura, who had taken a few steps away from the wall. "Would you like a glass of wine, Ms. Winslow?"

"I'm your assistant, Steve. I should be offering you wine," she rebutted.

"Oh, you're not that kind of assistant. That's what the interns are for," he turned to Kelly, only to discover she had walked away. "Huh. I guess we're on our own." He placed an arm around her waist, and she didn't pull away. _She really must have been jealous!_

When they got to the bar, Jenna was there. She was a few tequila shots in, so she didn't notice when Steve walked up with an arm around Laura.

"Steve," she slurred, "I missed youuuuuu…"

Laura was pushed to the side, and Jenna started to rub her hands up and down Steve's chest. Laura turned to the bartender. "Two glasses of your house white wine, please."

Steve tried to hold Jenna at arms' length. "This girl cannot hold her liquor," Steve quipped to Laura.

"Neither can you, if I recall," she snickered.

"Oh, and you're one to talk, Miss Quarters?" he asked, referencing the drinking game that had gotten her wasted to kiss him.

"I'm a little better at it now," she assured him, handing him a glass. "One thing a crappy marriage teaches you is how to hold your wine."

He looked at her, clearly concerned.  
"It was just a joke, Steve," she said, a little embarrassed.

"Was it?" he asked. Suddenly, he felt Jenna unbuttoning his shirt. "WHOA. Ok, let's get you back to the table, Jenna." He handed his glass back to Laura so he could safely lead Jenna to their table. He handed her several slices of bread, hoping they would soak up some of the booze. Laura took the seat on the other side of him. He wanted to follow up on her Stefan quip earlier, but he didn't know how. "Laura," he began, his brows knitted in deep concern, "will you please tell me what happened between you and Stefan? Not here, not even tonight, just please tell me."

"Nothing happened," Laura lied, looking down at her lap.

"That's not true, Sweetums," he sighed. "I hope you'll feel comfortable telling me, eventually."

A few of the other people at their table appeared as dinner was about to be served. Laura and Steve chatted with a couple of other major company owners in the area. Jenna… ate.

Laura could see that she was mellowing, which was a good thing. She knew what it was like to lose control at a party. Heck, she knew what it was like to lose control at a party because a guy she liked had said something stupid. She also felt like this was her fault. She knew Steve had no interest in seeing anyone, but she had insisted he put some poor girl through it anyway. Now, she was going to at least have to be nice to her.

Steve was completely oblivious to his recovering date. He made sure she ate enough to balance her out and keep her from embarrassing herself and him, but otherwise, he focused on the other guests and on Laura. As dinner ended, he started to feel a little braver, the wine helped, and he slipped his hand under the table and onto Laura's knee. She ignored it, at first, but then he started to caress her thigh.

It felt good to be touched by him again, but she knew that she wasn't his date tonight, and there was no reason to rub his indifference in Jenna's face. Laura stood and excused herself to the restroom.

Steve gave her a couple of minutes, but then he told Jenna he'd be right back and followed her. He waited on a bench outside of the ladies' room, and the moment she stepped back out, he stood.

"What are you doing out here?" she asked.

"Let's go for a walk," he suggested.

"You're giving a speech in fifteen minutes," she reminded him.

"So we won't go far!" he said nonchalantly.

She shook her head and pulled him around a corner, knowing there were more than enough of her coworkers around. "I'm not your date tonight, Steve. You need to go back in there and be nice to Jenna."

"I've been plenty nice!" he argued.

"You've been ignoring her."

"She got wasted, Laura, and she wasn't exactly a riveting conversationalist to begin with."

"She got drunk _because_ you were ignoring her. The food's helping. She's coming out of it, now. I mean it, Steve. Go do your best impression of a good date for the rest of the evening. You can tell her it won't work tomorrow. There's no reason to be a jerk now."

He pursed his lips and sighed through his nose. "You're right, Sweetums, but won't that be hard for you to watch? It'll definitely be hard for me to do."

"I'm a big girl, Steve. I can handle it." Of course, she intended to handle it much in the fashion that Jenna had handled the first part of the evening.

He nodded and let her head back. He waited a while and went to the restroom, so it didn't seem like they were off together somewhere. When he returned, he noticed that Laura had finished her wine and his. He meant to comment, but suddenly, he was introduced and pulled on stage.

Laura only vaguely knew what this gala was for. As she listened to Steve speak, she realized why the cause was so important to him. This organization worked to combat bullying in schools. It trained teachers to catch it and deal with it properly. It trained students to stand up to bullies, and it provided counseling for victims of bullying. As Steve spoke of his own experiences with bullies, she felt a familiar surge of guilt. He danced around her own part in his pain, or at least he did, until he stopped.

He looked at her, making very direct eye contact. "I knew a girl when I was growing up who I thought was the most spectacular person on the planet. She was beautiful, strong, smart, kind, and she always did the right thing… eventually. She was a bully. Admittedly, I harassed her relentlessly, so there was some mutual fault, but I'm sure she would agree that there were times that she bullied me, plain and simple."

Wow, even when they were dating, they had never had a moment like this. They never had a moment where he acknowledged how she used to treat him. She had tried to bring it up to him a few times. She had tried to apologize, but he always dismissed it. Now, he was telling the whole world how cruel she was to him when they were kids. She noticed the video cameras on him, and she blushed deeply, shrinking into her seat, though she never broke eye contact. If he was finally ready to have that conversation, she had to be ready to hear him, even if he insisted on it being publicized.

"She said some really horrible things to me. She told me that she not only wasn't interested, but she never could be because I was a nerdy, nasally, unattractive loser. Well, she said it in so many words, anyway. You know, words like 'worm', 'scum', and 'drop dead.'"

Laura felt humiliated, but they continued to make eye contact.

"Again, I really didn't leave her alone. If I had, I'm sure she would have left me alone. She never went out of her way to hurt people. She hurt me because it was her only line of defense. However, over time, she and I became friends. Eventually, she did date me. We came close to marriage, in fact. The thing about bullies is that they are just reacting however they can to whatever situation they're in. The girl in my story isn't a villain. She's not even a villain to me. She grew and matured, and I know that she would never treat anyone the way she used to treat me, but there are some nerds who aren't quite so lucky. Not every bully is redeemed. Not every nerd gets the girl. I hope that with these funds, we can work harder in schools to help more kids, both the bullies and the victims, because they are all in pain. That's why tonight Urkorp is making a large donation to fund a new program in Chicago Public Schools that will focus on providing counseling to students with frequent citations for mistreating their peers. If you help the bully, you can save the victims. Thank you for your time. Please, have a wonderful evening."

He stepped off the stage to a room full of applause. Laura was probably the only person in the room not clapping, and he noticed. When the applause began, she lowered her head. He went back to his seat and looked down at her. "Laura?" He was terrified she was mad at him. When she looked up at him, he saw that her cheeks were covered in tears.

"Steve…"

He grabbed her hand and led her quickly out to the lobby. He sat her down on a couch a good distance from other attendees and held both her hands in his. Her eyes stared at their hands. "Laura, my love, I am so sorry. I know I completely blindsided you. I never meant to hurt your feelings. I thought–"

"You didn't hurt my feelings, Steve," she sniffled.

"Then why are you crying?"

She sniffled again and tried to wipe her tears, but they just kept coming, "Because I am _so_ sorry, Steve. I know that I used to–"

"Oh, no, Laura, no. Please, don't worry about any of that. That's all in the past. I promise," he assured her, waving dismissively.

" _No_ , Steve. Please, let me apologize. You deserve to hear it," she pleaded.

"It's really not a big deal, my love. I'm fine. We're fine."

"Steve! _Please_!" she said a little too loudly, making other patrons turn.

Steve looked at her face and saw how much pain she was in. Maybe he was doing her a disservice by downplaying it. He decided she really did need to apologize for her own peace of mind. He squeezed her hands and whispered, "Ok, Sweetums, I'm all ears." He smiled brightly.

She looked at him and saw the look in his eyes. He had forgiven her long ago, and she knew that, but he still deserved an apology. It wasn't going to change anything between them. It wouldn't change what had happened between them after, and it wouldn't change where they were now, but he deserved to hear how sorry she really was. "I'm _so_ sorry for the way I treated you, Steve. I know there is nothing I could say that could erase all of the pain you felt, but if there were, I would say it. You were an incredible friend to me, and yes, you were annoying, and you kind of stalked me, but that's no reason to say the things that I did or use you the way that I did. You deserved better than that. I know, too, that part of the reason you always chased me, and my family, is that your home life wasn't great. I should have been able to see that, Steve, and I should have given you a little more slack because of it. Thank you for being such an incredible friend to me when we were growing up. You are a huge part of the person I've become, and I am so grateful to have had you there. You have made me a kinder, stronger, more compassionate, and more loving person. I hope you can forgive me someday."

 _Whoa._ She must have been holding that in for a long time. He was tearing up a little. He scooted closer to her on the couch so he could press his forehead up against hers. "Laura Winslow, I am harboring no grudges. Honestly, I wouldn't change a thing about our past. Well," he paused, remembering the way they ended, "I would only change that one day. All the stuff that got us there, I wouldn't risk changing for the world. You did hurt me a few times, Laura, but you also loved me. I wouldn't risk that to save myself a little heartbreak as a kid. Plus, I think you're being a little too hard on yourself. For every moment you were mean to me, there were other moments that you were very kind."

"I'm not sure the ratio works out that well for me, Steve."

"Well, guess which moments I remember best, my love."

She smiled at him. This time it was her big beautiful smile, completely unimpeded by the drama of the evening. She felt so much better having gotten some of that off of her chest. She almost felt good enough to–

Seeing a rare opportunity, Steve took a chance and pressed his lips to hers. He heard her gasp in surprise but she didn't pull away. In fact, that gasp gave him the opportunity to lock their lips together, and he started to suck on her bottom lip. He remembered how much she used to love that, and it seemed like she still did. He moved his hands up to her hips, and she moved hers up to grip his biceps. Soon, he felt her tongue venture out of her mouth to trace his lips. He happily opened wide so their tongues could meet. He hadn't had a French kiss in five years.

Laura hadn't had one since she left Stefan, either. She had forgotten how good it felt to be so close to someone she cared about. Her eyes were shut tightly, enjoying the heat of his soft lips.

His eyes remained open, refusing to miss a moment of her affection. He wanted so badly to kiss her neck or nibble her ear lobe, but he knew that she would pull away the second he tried. He held on as long as he could, but then he started to quickly trail kisses down her neck, until he landed in her favorite spot.

God! He never forgot a thing. When he reached that spot and started to suck gently, Laura placed one hand on the back of his head, pulling him closer, stroking gently. She let out a soft moan, "Ooooo." Upon hearing her own voice, she suddenly snapped out of it. She pushed him away forcefully and put a foot of space between them. "I'm sorry, Steve," she said, standing abruptly.

"But, Laura," he whined.

"Before you come back to the table, stop at the restroom and wipe the lipstick off your face, please." She turned and left, feeling her guilt return. She was still being cruel to him. Sure the reasons were different this time, but mean was mean.

He sat on that couch for a few minutes, but he eventually decided he had to return. He wasn't mad at Laura for kissing him or for stopping, but he was hurt. He was hurt for both of them. He was sure she still loved him, and he knew how hard it was keep someone you love at a distance for various reasons. He wished his kiss could make all of her worries go away, but it just didn't work like that. He had to earn her trust back, and to do so, he had to clean up and get back in there. He stopped at the bathroom like she had suggested and disappointedly wiped her lipstick from his lips.

Laura stopped in the restroom as well, hoping to find a moment to calm down and to fix the lipstick he had smeared. Their passionate kiss had smeared her lipstick on her lips, her cheek, her chin, and all the way down her neck. Red was arguably too bright a color for an intense make-out session like that, but she wasn't supposed to make out with him! _Why can't I control myself anymore?_ Though, she realized as she was cleaning up, she was never able to control herself well with Steve. Since the moment she had started to develop feelings for him at that stupid bachelor auction, she'd been unexpectedly falling into kiss after kiss with him. She surprised herself by accepting his proposal. Even their first time totally caught her off guard. As she fixed her lips, she concluded that if she let herself be alone with him anymore, he was going to win her back somehow. She vowed to herself then and there that she was never going to be alone with him again, but that didn't last long.

She managed to avoid him for the rest of the evening, while he pretended to be fascinated by his actual date. To do so, though, they had both indulged in just a little more wine then they had planned to. When they finally got back into the limo, Laura and Steve didn't even sit next to each other.

Laura watched, trying to appear discrete, as Jenna continuously ran her hands all over Steve. She tried not to be bitter or mad about it, but whatever jealous nerve she was hitting was way past logic at this point.

As they dropped each of the interns off at their dorms, and the limo began to empty, Jenna became more and more forward.

"You look so good in your tux," she purred as she ran her finger down the line of his buttons.

Steve gulped, feeling incredibly uncomfortable as this near stranger caressed him in front of his glaring ex-fiancée. "Uh, yeah. Thanks," he mumbled back.

"Hey," she whispered loudly in his ear, clearly wanting Laura to hear it, "why don't you come back to my place? I have been dying to get you alone all night."

Steve's eyes widened, and he looked to Laura for help. She had already looked away pretending not to care where Steve spent the night. He said a silent prayer that she would at least play along to help him out. "Oh, um… That sounds really great, but I can't tonight, _right, Laura?_ " he asked, his pleading eyes meeting hers again as she turned.

She raised an eyebrow at him but said nothing.

"I can't be-because we, Laura and I, we-we have to work on that _thing_ at the office, _right?_ "

Jenna glared back at Laura, just a little too tipsy to figure out if he was lying. She laid her charms on thicker. "Oh, but Steve," she cooed, "I'm sure it could wait until tomorrow. Though, if you spend the night with me, I promise you will be exhausted tomorrow."

She started to suck on his earlobe, and Steve was distracted for a moment. It had been so long since anyone had kissed him there. "Ohh," he whimpered.

Laura's jaw clenched, and she crossed her arms across her chest.

Steve glanced over to her and remembered why he had to turn this girl down, even though she was clearly easier than Laura. "No," he said curtly, pushing her away. He turned to Jenna, suddenly filled with confidence, and he sweetly grabbed her hands and started to stroke them. "I've had a lovely time with you tonight, Jenna, but this thing we need to do at the office is very urgent. Really, I shouldn't have gone to this gala tonight, but it was for such an important cause, I couldn't say no."

Laura rolled her eyes, angry that he seemed to be _almost_ flirting with her.

"Laura and I need to go back to the office for a while tonight. I'm so sorry. _Right_ , _Laura?_ "

Why did he have to drag her into this again? They both turned to look at her for confirmation. Well, this was her one chance. If she wanted to avoid him, she could send them off together. Surely, if they slept together, he would feel guilty enough to date her for a while, and then he would be forced to give Laura the space she needed to keep their relationship off the table. All she had to do was say that the _thing_ could wait until tomorrow or that she could handle the _thing_ by herself. She opened her mouth to send him packing and was surprised by her own words as she said, "Oh! _That_ thing! Of course, Steve! I _completely_ forgot. We better get a move on. We have a lot of work to do together tonight." _Uh-oh._

 _Finally, woman! What? Do you want me to sleep with Jenna?_ Steve turned his attention back to Jenna as the limo came to a stop outside of her apartment. "I'll see you tomorrow!" he said, full of cheer as she stepped out of the door Maven held for.

Completely shamelessly, she leaned back in, her small breasts practically hanging out of her dress. "You won't even walk me to the door?"

"Sorry, no time! Bye!" he said as he leaned out to quickly shut the door. As they watched her sulk up to her entry and get safely inside, they sat in silence. When Maven began to pull away, Steve turned his attention to Laura. "Well, that was a close one!"

Laura looked at him, still annoyed. "You could have gone up with her, you know. You would definitely have gotten lucky."

"Laura," he replied, sliding to the other side of the limo so he could sit next to her, "there is nothing _lucky_ about sleeping with some girl I don't care about. Now, I haven't completely ruled out the possibility that I might get lucky tonight, but that's not for me to decide." He put a hand on her thigh and started to caress.

She looked at him, " _No_ , Steve. That's not going to happen."

He leaned in close, still caressing, noticing that she didn't actually move away from him. He whispered in her ear, his lips so close that his soft skin tickled her ear, "How long has it been for you, my pet? Five years without being touched has been torture for me."

Her eyes drifted shut, involuntarily, and she whispered back, suddenly compelled to answer, "Over a year."

"Oh, _nooooo_ ," he cooed. "A woman with a bodacious bod like yours can't go that long without being… _pleasured_."

Laura realized that the wine was getting to both of them. She was supposed to resist him, and he was supposed to be shy and polite. Still, she didn't move.

He stuck his tongue out and licked around her ear. "My love, if you want, I would be happy to spend the rest of the night _ravishing_ you."

"Ohhh," she moaned as his tongue slipped just into her ear canal.

"We could make tonight _all_ about you," he whispered. "You wouldn't even have to touch me."

The hand on her thigh moved up to caress her cheek. "Let me do this for you, my love." His hand started to trail down her body until his gentle touch grazed her left breast. He cupped it gently and started to massage it. His thumb stroked the portion that was exposed by the cut of her dress, and she got goose bumps. "Your breast feels incredible, Sweetums. Your skin is so smooth, and you fit so perfectly in my hand." He kissed her neck between compliments. His other hand moved to hold hers. When their hands met, she squeezed his tightly, silently encouraging him. He gave her breast a gentle shake to feel it bounce for him. "You're not wearing a bra, are you, my pet?" He looked at her face, she was biting her lip.

She shook her head no.

He smiled and squeezed her breast more forcefully, encouraged that there was so little fabric between their skin. He had a naughty thought. "What about panties?" he whispered. "Are you wearing any panties?"

She nodded.

"Where did you get those panties, Laura?"

She swallowed hard. "You," she answered breathlessly.

He grinned wickedly. "Which ones are you wearing?" She didn't answer so he moved his hand to play with her hard nipple. Asking again, he pinched her nipple, "Which ones, Pet?"

"Oh!" she gasped. No one had touched her breasts since she had stopped breast feeding, and that was a very different feeling. She hadn't felt her breasts were really sexy since before she had had Michael. Stefan never did enough to help her feel comfortable with the changes that took place in her body during her first pregnancy. The second pregnancy only made her more self-conscious. Really, she knew she had been pretty lucky. Though they weren't as perky as they used to be, they were still perky. They returned to their normal size. She got off easy, but she noticed every subtle change, no matter how small, and having always been a little vain, she felt terrible about it all.

Now, as Steve held her breast, she felt like herself for the first time since she had kids. She felt sexy. She felt like the goddess he saw her as. Feeling so grateful for the way he made her feel, she finally answered him, "The lacy, red thong."

"Mmmm…" he moaned. "That one's my favorite." He removed his hand from her nipple for just a second, and she pouted. He turned her face toward his, and he kissed her, happily picking up where they had left off earlier. His hand slipped back down to her breast, and he courageously slipped his hand inside her dress to feel her bare bosom. He felt her nipple get even harder, and she moaned in his mouth.

"Mmmmmm…"

He pulled and pinched her nipple, wanting to suck it, but he wanted to get her back to his house first. He just wasn't sure how to do that. He knew Maven was driving closer and closer to Casa de Winslow. He moved his other hand, cupped her other breast, and did the same to that nipple.

Her hands felt his chest, and she confirmed how much more muscular he was than he used to be. She scratched her nails up and down it. She wanted to undo his shirt, but she was afraid to take things further. She wanted him, but she knew she couldn't have him.

He felt the limo coming to a stop. He broke their kiss, still playing with her chest. He looked her in the eye as hers finally fluttered open. "Spend the night with me, Laura. _Please_. I'll do anything."

She looked at him sadly and pulled his hands out of her dress. She adjusted herself before answering, "I'm sorry, Steve. I have to go." She slid to the door just as Maven opened it and left Steve alone in the limo.

Though Steve had expected nothing less, he was still heartbroken. So much so, in fact, that his erection faded quickly as she left, and he lay down in the back of the limo with no urge to take care of himself.

When he got home that night, he went to bed and cried himself to sleep.

When Laura left for work Monday morning, she was afraid that things were going to be different and awkward. Steve had every right to be mad at her. She was really just teasing him now. This is exactly why she had wanted him to promise to be professional. Now they were in this awkward situation, and their work day was going to be miserable.

When she arrived, however, Steve greeted her in the parking structure as if nothing had happened. He chatted to her brightly and talked to the kids. Everything was as if the other night hadn't hurt him at all. Of course, his normalcy hurt Laura's feelings. She had that little effect on him now?

Steve, though he hid it well, was still hurt by what had happened. However, he knew Laura well. He knew what she was like when she was falling for him the first time. She resisted him with every bone in her body, and she left him hanging more than a few times, though in admittedly less intimate positions. As difficult as the weekend had been for him, he knew that what had happened on Friday night was really a good sign, so he picked his face up off the floor and went back to wooing her with a bounce in his step.

The only truly awkward part of their day was when they reached the door to the daycare center. Steve stopped in front of it. He turned to her, handing her the diaper bag but holding onto her purse. "You go ahead. I'll be right out here."

He turned to Michael and gave him a high-five. "See you later, Little Guy!"

Laura still didn't enter. "You'll have to talk to her eventually, Steve."

"I know, Laura. I called her. She's meeting me in my office at the end of the day, so I can give her the ol' heave-ho." His face filled with guilt. "I just don't want to have to see her before that."

Laura nodded and went into the daycare center alone. Jenna's face fell when she saw her walk in without him. Laura tried her best to conceal the news on her face, but she didn't do very well. Jenna was rude and ignored her, but the kids happily went off with two other women in the center. Laura paused before leaving, trying to think of something to say, but there really wasn't anything she could say, so she left.

Steve turned to her when she got back out. "Well?" he prompted.

She didn't really want to be the one to explain his relationships with other women to him. "I don't know, Steve," she said, frustrated. "Handle your own dates."

She turned sharply to head for the elevator, and he could tell that he wasn't the only one who had had a terrible weekend. They rode the elevator in silence but switched comfortably into their work once they reached the office.

They even had lunch together, like they always did, and it went well. They talked about Michael starting school in only a year and a half. Focusing their conversation on the kids prevented any unfortunate slip-ups that might have brought Laura away from her priorities.

At the end of the day, Steve had his meeting with Jenna, so Laura walked down to daycare to get the kids by herself. As she passed Jenna, she smiled politely, which only appeared to make Jenna feel worse. Laura got all the way to the door of the daycare center before she realized she had forgotten her purse. She wasn't used to carrying it anymore. Frustrated, she decided to run back to get it before she got the kids to avoid hauling them all the way up there. As she rode the elevator back up to the office, she caught a part of herself hoping Jenna and Steve would be done so that he could tell her how it went. The doors opened, and she saw that everyone had left. She approached Steve's door and went to knock. She stopped right in her tracks as his voice rang through the door.

"OOOOOOHHHHH. OH, YES!"

Laura's eyes widened, and her stomach fell out of her body. She swallowed hard and pressed her ear to the door to hear better.

"That's it, Baby!" he encouraged, "Swallow my big–"

Laura stepped away from the door quickly, embarrassed and deeply hurt. _How could he do that? After we almost… After all that, he sleeps with Jenna anyway?_

Laura tried to hold back her tears as she grabbed her purse and went to the elevator, but when she got in, she spent the ninety-floor ride sobbing. She knew that she didn't get to be mad about this. They weren't an item, but she still felt like he had betrayed her. He had promised her he'd do anything to make his mistake up to her. He had promised her he was still all-in. Then, some random skank threw herself at him and he lost all control?

As the elevator doors opened, she composed herself to meet her kids. They didn't need to see her like this. She didn't need Steve, anyway. She only needed her boys.

When Steve got to work the next day, he waited for Laura in the parking structure like he always did, only this time, she didn't show up. Two hours later, he decided to head upstairs to call her. Maybe she wasn't feeling well. When he got to the office, he checked with the interns, and they said she hadn't called. He slipped into his office and picked-up the phone. He dialed the house phone, which he still knew by heart, but then he noticed an envelope on his desk. He read the name on the front, "Dr. Urkel", in her handwriting.

He hung up the phone and ripped open the envelope. He took out the letter inside and skimmed it quickly:

 _"Dr. Urkel,_

 _Thank you for giving me this opportunity… I have greatly enjoyed working with you… Your company does great work… For personal reasons… I will not need a recommendation from you… I hereby resign…_

 _Laura Lee Winslow_

 _Head Administrative Assistant"_


	6. Chapter 6

He dropped the letter and dialed the number again. _She resigned? She can't quit!_ He listened to it ring a few times, rapidly scanning his brain for something that he had done that could have caused this. He couldn't think of _anything_! He slammed the phone down, breaking it. He rushed out of his office and turned to the interns, trying to play it cool. "Hey, guys. Laura's at home sick today, so you all will have to handle everything yourselves. She tried to leave a voicemail this morning, but I guess it got erased somehow." He stared at them. He couldn't tell if they were buying it. He continued anyway, "She'll be back tomorrow, but for today, I need you to clear my schedule."

"But–" they said in unison.

"No but's," he interrupted. "I just got an urgent call from the New York office. They said they need me there right away, so figure it out!" He turned sharply and went to the elevator.

About forty-five minutes later, he stepped out of his car, which he actually drove himself this time, and looked up to the house he hadn't been in in years. As much as he wanted to take in the moment, feeling like he was finally home, he knew that he had to figure out what was going on. He had to convince Laura to come back, and he only had a day to do it. He took a deep breath and ran up to the door. He moved to ring the doorbell, but figured he would get results very similar to the telephone. Instead, he reached in his pocket for his key. He found the one that used to open the front door and prayed that they hadn't changed the locks. He stuck it in, turned it, and then _click_. He did a silent happy dance and slipped inside.

Michael turned when he entered, and he looked happily surprised. Quickly, Steve held a finger up to his lips and shushed him. He couldn't have him giving his entrance away. He walked past Michael on the couch, patting his head as he we went by. He slipped quietly into the kitchen and saw that Laura was nowhere in sight, but Eli was in his high chair, and the stove was on. Eli started to cry, and he heard Laura yell from the laundry room, "Oh, I know, Baby! It's cookin'. Give Mama one more minute, and your baba will be ready! Eat your Cheerios."

Steve walked over and took the crying baby in his arms. He held him close and bounced gently, soothing his cries. He walked to the stove and turned it off. He picked the bottle up, tested it on his wrist, and handed it to Elijah as he laid him back in his arms. Elijah ate happily, and Steve pulled out a chair to cradle him. He faced the laundry room.

Moments later, Laura walked out with a basket full of clothes, saw a man holding her baby, screamed, and dropped the basket. Immediately, Elijah started to cry, and Michael ran into the room. Steve took the bottle from Eli and held him closer, hoping to calm him.

"What the _hell_ are you doing here, Steve?! You scared me to death!" she yelled.

"Mama, why are you yelling at Uncle Steve?" Michael whined, his eyes full of tears.

Laura crouched down in front of him and opened her arms. He quickly embraced her, and she squeezed him tightly, kissing the top of his head. "Oh, no reason, Baby. He just startled me." She looked up at Steve and glared.

Steve returned the bottle to the newly calm Elijah, and Michael ran back into the other room because he was missing his cartoon.

Laura stood and moved toward Steve. She gently, but forcefully, took the baby from Steve's arms and held him as he ate. She decided to let him finish before she said another word to Steve, not wanting to make Eli uncomfortable as she tensed.

Steve watched as Laura held her baby close. He wanted to interrogate her. He wanted to know what was going on, but he was captivated by the softness in her face as she looked at Eli. _Gosh,_ he thought as he gazed at her lovingly. He wanted to have so many more babies with her. He smiled to himself, naming them in his head.

When Elijah was done, she held him close to burp, which he did quickly, and she turned to Steve. "I'm going to put both boys down for their naps. Please, wait here," she said emotionlessly.

 _Oh, boy. She's already shutting down._ Steve always knew it was the hardest to argue with Laura when she put her emotions aside. When she tried to do that, she always felt vindicated and logical. It was hard to walk her back from that.

She came back down stairs about ten minutes later. Steve noticed then how incredible she looked even in simple clothes. Her pink sweater hugged her chest tightly, and her dark jeans accented her hips. He looked up at her face and saw a look of pure fury. "Howdy, Sweetums," he said, trying to break the ice.

Her eyes just narrowed as she took the chair at the head of the table. "How the _hell_ did you get in here?" she snapped.

"My key still works," Steve said recoiling slightly.

She held out her hand. "Give it to me."

His brow furrowed. "What? No, it's _my_ key."

"You don't live here anymore, Steve. Give me the key," she moved her hand closer to him.

He wanted to argue, but knew he should save his energies for whatever bigger battle was coming. He took the key off the ring and handed it to her. She nodded and put it in her pocket. _As if that were my only copy!_ "Laura, what's going on?" he demanded. "Why did you quit?"

"I explained it in the letter," she said, standing to gather the clothes that had slipped from the laundry basket she dropped.

"No, you didn't. 'Personal reasons' is not an explanation."

She stood and started to refold the clothes that were jostled in the fall. "Well, my reason _is_ personal, Steve, so that's all I can say."

"No, it's not. You can tell me anything; you know that. What happened, Laura?"

"Something came up," she replied curtly.

"No, it didn't," he argued. "You won't even look at me, which means that I did something, but I have been wracking my brain all day, and I can't come up with a _darn_ thing."

She scoffed. "You can't come up with anything you did or anything you think I know about?"

"What?" he asked. "What are you talking about?"

"Like you don't know! Stop playing dumb, Steve. I don't wanna say it out loud."

"Say what out loud?" Steve asked, a little too loudly, and she shushed him.

"The kids are asleep, Steve!" she whispered angrily.

"I'm sorry, Sweetums, but I really need you to spell this out for me because I am totally lost!" he whispered back.

"You are such a jerk," she said exasperatedly, shaking her head. She realized that she had made a mess of each item she refolded, and she dumped the basket out on the table. The red thong she had worn on Friday night somehow ended up on top of the pile as it lay in front of Steve. His eyes were immediately drawn to it, and she snatched it up, putting it back in the basket, along with some of her other delicates. As far as she was concerned, he had seen more than his fair share of ladies' undergarments this week. She started to refold the clothes.

Steve's mind refocused after the thong was moved out of sight. "Laura, I'm not trying to be a jerk. You just caught me off guard. We were getting along so well. Really, _really_ well," he said, licking his newly dry lips. "Is this about Friday night? I know I was… a little… forward, but I stopped when you made me."

"Well, of course, you did. There's no point in pressuring me if you have a back-up plan," she sneered.

"What?" Steve was only getting more and more confused.

"This isn't about Friday night. This is about yesterday," she admitted.

"Yesterday?"

"I know I have no right to be mad about it, Steve. Obviously, you're _young_ and _someone_ is going to take care of your… _needs_ , but I just can't work for you if you're going to be rubbing my face in it in the office."

"My _needs_? What in Einstein's name are you talkin' about, Lady?"

Suddenly, she sat down in front of him, "I forgot my purse yesterday, Steve."

Steve could not figure this puzzle out. "Is that supposed to mean something to me?"

She looked down at her hands. "When I went back to get it, I stopped by your door to see if you were done with your… _meeting_ , but I heard… Well, you should know what I heard."

Steve's eyes got wide as he realized what she had heard. "Oh! Oh, my God. Laura, I'm so sorry. That's so embarrassing. If I had known you were coming back to the office, I would never have–"

She looked up at him again, the pain showing in her eyes. "But you shouldn't be doing that in the office at all, Steve!"

"You're right," he conceded. "Laura, I promise that if you come back to work, I'll never do that in my office again."

"Well, honestly, Steve, I'm not ok with you doing that anywhere."

Steve looked around, a little nervous. "Laura, Sweetheart, I'm not sure that's fair."

"Oh, it's completely _un_ fair!" she said. "If I'm not going to date you, I have no right to dictate what you do to…" She sighed heavily. "That's why I quit, Steve. I can't bear to watch it, and I can't tell you not to do it."

"Laura, I never knew you felt so… _strongly_ about this. You know it wasn't the first time, right?"

"It wasn't?" Laura looked like Steve had ripped the heart out of her chest.

"Oh, of course not, Pet. I'm a pretty strong guy, but there aren't many men who can resist _temptation_ for long."

"When was the first time?"

"Oh, I don't know. It wasn't long after you and I accidentally saw each other naked, I guess."

"WHAT?" she yelled, quickly covering her mouth. "You didn't even know Jenna that long ago!"

"Jenna? Who's talking about Jenna?" Steve asked, completely caught off guard. He sure wasn't thinking about her.

"We were!" Laura urged. "We were talking about your… _meeting_."

Steve finally understood what was going on, and when he realized what had set these events into motion, he started to laugh. He laughed harder and harder until he was near hysterics.

Laura just narrowed her eyes at him, her mouth agape. She had no idea what was so damn funny about this situation. "Steve!" Laura barked.

He snorted. "Oh! _Snort!_ Ohhhh, Laura Lee, I'm sorry," he said wiping his tears. "You just got this _all_ so wrong. _Snort! Snort!_ "

"Well, then what's going on?" she insisted, failing to find a single thing she could have misunderstood.

Steve became a little more serious, ashamed of what he had to tell her. "I wasn't in the office with Jenna."

 _What? There were other women?_ "Then who?"

"I was alone," he admitted.

"Oh, Steve, no, you weren't. I heard you," she insisted.

He shook his head. "It was just me, Buttercup. I swear. I could show you the security tapes if you'd like, but I'd really rather not."

"How could it have been just you? You were talking about…" Laura couldn't finish her sentence. She couldn't bear the thought of him with another woman.

"Laura, it was just me, I promise. Jenna left after five minutes." She stared at him blankly. "What you heard… I was… I was touching myself," he admitted, looking away from her.

"You were?"

He nodded, avoiding her eyes.

Well, that changed everything. Suddenly, Laura started to laugh, too. She reached up to cover her mouth. Steve chuckled uncomfortably. "Oh, my God. Steve, I am _so_ sorry," she said, laughing. "If I had had any idea…"

He fidgeted in his seat. "It's ok, Laura."

"Wait, so you just sat through this whole conversation thinking I was angry at you for _masturbating_?" she laughed again.

He blushed at the word and nodded shyly.

She wiped the tears from her eyes, but each time she tried to stop laughing, she cracked up again. Eventually, she calmed down. " _Hoo_. Oh, wow, Steve, I am so sorry I made you admit that to me."

"Heh. No sweat, my pet."

She reached out a hand to him, and he took it hesitantly. "No, Steve, _really_. I'm sorry. I know that wasn't easy for you, but I'm really glad we straightened this out."

He looked up, meeting her eyes hopefully. "So, does that mean you'll come back to work?"

"You would have me back? After all of this?" she asked, embarrassed by her own behavior.

He squeezed her hand tightly. "Do you even have to ask?"

She smiled, looking down at their hands. "We should get going then." She pulled her hand from his and stood.

"Oh, no, Laura. I told the interns you were sick and that I was going to New York," he said. "We have the whole day off." He got up, feigning confidence. He walked over to her and stood just an inch closer than she felt comfortable. "What should we do?" he cooed.

She swallowed hard. "Um. Well, I should spend the day with my boys. We haven't had much time together since I've been working…" He slowly began to step closer to her. "And I should… really… take advantage… of the opportunity…"

He smiled down at her. "Laura," he whispered, "why did you care about me being in my office with Jenna?"

She moved to take a step back, but he just followed her. "Steve…"

He continued to move closer to her until he had pinned her against the back window. He moved his face closer to hers. "Why, Laura?"

She placed her hands on his chest in a half-hearted attempt to push him away but never pressed when her hands landed on his hard pecs. Instead, her fingers caressed and squeezed.

"You didn't like the idea of me being with another woman, did you, Sweetums?" He looked into her eyes. Though his body and voice were playing the confident seducer, his eyes reflected his insecurity. He really needed her to say it.

"No," she admitted, barely above a whisper, her hands continuing to stroke his chest over his dress shirt.

He pressed his forehead to hers, their lips only inches apart. "Why not?"

She looked down at her hands on his chest and then back to his eyes. "Because… you're still mine."

He smiled victoriously. "Oh, really?" he crooned.

"Yes," she whispered, almost inaudibly.

"Do you still love me, Laura?"

"I don't know," she answered honestly.

"I think you do," he whispered, placing his hands on her hips. He moved closer so that his body pressed into hers. He relaxed against her.

"I _really_ don't know," she swore.

"Well, what did you feel when you thought I was with Jenna?"

"Hurt, betrayed, unbelievably angry with you."

He smiled softly. "Were you jealous?"

She didn't answer.

"Did you want it to be you?"

She still didn't answer, so he leaned down to kiss her and held her tight as his tongue worked its way into her mouth. He wasn't going to let her get away with this. She quit a job that she desperately needed because she couldn't bear the thought of him being with someone else. She wanted him. She needed him.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. She knew she should have stopped him, but she was just so relieved that he hadn't done anything with Jenna. She was too grateful that he was still her loyal suitor to stop him now.

He moved his hands down and grabbed two big handfuls of her butt. He squeezed her tightly before he started to massage. He pulled his lips from hers but left their faces touching, "You have nothing to worry about, my love." He continued to massage her butt. "You are the only one I want."

Her eyes stared deeply into his. "Were you thinking about me? You know, when you were… _alone_ in your office?" she whispered.

He smiled proudly. "I always think about you when I do that, Pet."

She smiled sweetly. "Always?"

"Always," he repeated.

"Tell me what you were thinking about, Steve," she commanded, her voice becoming breathy.

 _Oh, that voice!_ He swallowed hard, trying to compose himself before he regaled her with his sexy fantasies. "I was thinking about Friday night," he began. "I was thinking about taking you back to my place and touching you _all_ over."

"I heard you telling me to ' _Swallow_ your _big_ …'"

"My 'big' what, Baby?" he prompted.

"I don't know," she teased. "I stopped listening before I found out."

Steve's eyes fluttered shut as those familiar images started to flash before him. "I was telling you to swallow my big cock," he lusted.

"Why, Steven Quincy Urkel, your word choice made _you_ sound like a porn star." she scolded, thinking back to her own use of dirty words with him.

He caught the reference and snorted, "What did you expect me to call it?"

She smiled, but ignored the familiar question. "Say it again, Steve."

"No," he teased.

She pouted at him. "Please?"

His brow wrinkled. That wasn't the tactic he had used their first time, but there was something so sexy about her full lips pouting like that. He obeyed almost immediately. "Suck my big _cock_ , Laura." His voice was soft but clear.

Suddenly, Laura pushed him away, and he landed back against the table. He gripped the edges. She dropped to her knees in front of him and reached up to his belt. She fiddled with the buckle, avoiding his gaze. She quickly tore his pants down along with his boxers. As his erection bobbed out in front of her, she got very nervous. It had been so long since she'd done this, she was afraid she wouldn't remember how. She was also intimidated by his size. She remembered him being bigger than Stefan, but she didn't think it was this big of a difference. She swallowed hard and tried to wet her dry lips with her tongue. She made a mental note to ask Steve later why he was so much longer and thicker than his near-clone.

Steve looked down at her and saw her hesitate. He wanted her to do it so badly but not if it was going to cause her stress. "Laura, you don't have to," he conceded.

Seeing that they were losing momentum, she took the plunge. She quickly grabbed him and took him in her mouth.

"OOOOOOHHHHH," he moaned in ecstasy.

She pulled off of him abruptly. "Shhhhh!" She started to lick up and down his length, sucking on the tip each time she reached the end.

He bit his lip to stay as close to silent as possible. "Nnnnnn."

She smiled to herself as she noticed his knees beginning to shake. She wasn't sure if this was truly a skill she never forgot or if he was just too used to his own hand to notice how bad she was at it. Feeling more confident, she took him into her mouth again as deep as she could. She noticed that she could fit more of him than she could the first time but still nowhere near his whole manhood. That was never a problem she had had with Stefan. She sucked harder and bobbed faster, reaching out a hand to cup his balls and leaving one to stroke his unswallowed length. She looked him in the eye, glad to see that his eyes met hers, completely captivated by the view. She moaned for him, as if his flavor was the most delicious taste in the world. "Mmmmm…"

His breathing was getting heavy, and he just kind of rasped back to her, "Nnnghhh." He could tell she was better at this than she was the first time, which made him bitter and jealous. On the other hand, her eyes were thirsting for him like he hungered for cheese, so he couldn't really complain.

She could tell he was getting close. She felt a little bad that this was going to end so soon for him, but she knew that he was too new to it all to last long, and she didn't particularly want to train him today. Her neck was already hurting from a lack of recent practice.

His balls tightened, and he stared at her, his eyes glazing over. His head was foggy. He knew there was something he was supposed to be doing, but he couldn't tear his mind off of the incredible sensations he was feeling long enough to–

His manhood was deep in her mouth when he suddenly shot his hot cum. She gagged immediately as it poured into the back of her throat. She coughed and pulled away, leaving only the tip in her lips as he continued to spasm. She swallowed what she could, but with such a rough start, some of it began to dribble down her chin.

His eyes locked on her mouth as he filled it with his cum. "Laauuuuurrraaaaaa…"

When she felt his orgasm end and his body relax slightly against the table, she started to lick up and down his member to clean him off.

He growled softly and began to stroke her hair, "Mmmmmmm…"

When he was clean and soft, she pulled her mouth off of him and started to wipe her lips and chin. As she found his cum, she licked it off of her fingers. Believing she was clean, she stood up and pulled his pants up with her. He leaned silently and calmly against the table as she slipped his pants back up and tucked in his shirt. She buttoned and buckled his pants and belt before leaning up to kiss him.

He kissed her back hungrily, taking her face in his hands, enjoying the fact that her mouth tasted like him. "Thank you, Sweetheart," he whispered against her mouth. "That felt amazing." He took his finger and wiped his last bit of cum off her chest. He placed his finger in her mouth and she sucked it clean.

"Is it all gone?" she asked.

"Yes, my love. I'm sorry I didn't warn you," he apologized. "I got caught up in the moment."

"It's ok, Steve," she promised. "Try a little harder next time, though, ok?"

" _Next time_?" he purred.

She stayed silent.

Suddenly, he placed his hands on her butt and lifted her high. He leaned her against the table and began to kiss her neck. "Mm. Laura. Laura. Laura," he moaned between kisses.

"Whoa, hey, hey, Steve," she pushed him off of her and stood from the table.

"What's wrong?" he asked, immediately concerned.

"Nothing, it's just…" She looked away from him, suddenly feeling like a tease. "We can't really do this. My sons are napping upstairs. That was just a onetime thing."

He frowned as she started to push him away again. "I see."

"Please, don't be mad. I just got a little carried away."

"I'm not mad, Laura. I'm just disappointed. I wanted to make you feel as good as you made me feel," he admitted lethargically. Somehow, wooing her this time was much more tiring.

She knew that he was telling the truth, and there was a huge part of her that told her to just let him, but the stronger part of her continued to resist. "I'm sorry, Steve."

He nodded and tried to shake off his frustration. "Well, we still have the rest of the day together? What _do_ you want to do?" he asked.

"I really do have to spend the day with the kids, Steve," she said as she quickly, and more accurately, folded the remaining clothes.

"We can all do something together," he suggested. "The boys already like me, so I can't imagine they'll mind. Let's go back to my place for a dip in that pool Michael's always talking about."

"We're not going to your house," she insisted.

"But Laura…"

"No, Steve," she continued. "It's not really appropriate for me to spend the day with my boss, anyway. Maybe you should just go."

"It's not really appropriate for you to give your boss a blowjob, either, but here we are."

"Steve!" she snapped, embarrassed that he put it like that.

"Laura, how long are you going to put us through this?"

"Steve, I'm not putting you _through_ anything. I'm just… not interested."

"Oh, so you want me to start seeing other people then?"

She spun around to him swiftly but found she had no real response to that. "Maybe you should," she said bitterly.

"I won't, Laura."

"Well, then don't complain to me when I won't go out with you. I'm telling you that you are free to see whomever you want. If you choose not to, that's your problem." She returned to the laundry.

He came up behind her and pressed his pelvis into her juicy buns. He wrapped his arms around her flat stomach and held her tightly. He moved his lips close to her ear. He whispered softly, "You don't mean that, Pet. You don't want me to go find Jenna."

Laura continued to fold the laundry, pretending to ignore him.

"You don't want me to take off her bra and kiss her breasts. You don't want me to suck on her nipples." He moved his hands up to cup her breasts, and her breath caught in her throat. "You don't want me to bend her over my desk and spank her."

He grinded his hips against her ass for emphasis, and she moaned irrepressibly, "Ohhhhh…"

"You don't want me to press my face into her womanhood and taste her. You don't want her to buck against my face. That's only for you, isn't it, Baby?" He moved his hands down and unbuttoned her jeans. He slipped his right hand down to cup her womanhood. He didn't move. He just held her most intimate area. "You don't want her to ride my big, hard cock. That's your job, isn't it, my pet? You're the only one who gets to bounce up and down on me, aren't you? Do you want her breasts hitting my face or yours?" He pressed his hand against her more firmly but still didn't move.

She whimpered and released the clothes in her hand. She gripped the basket tightly.

"Do you want me to come inside her? Or you?"

"Meeeeeee…" Laura whispered.

"Then give it to me, Pet. Stop resisting, and just let me have you. I _love_ you, Laura."

"I'm not ready, Steve," she sniffled, her eyes tearing up.

He heard her begin to cry, and he moved his hands up to her waist. "I'll wait as long as I have to, Laura. Just tell me to wait for you!" he begged.

"I can't, Steve," she said as she really started to cry. She turned to him and hugged him tightly. "I can't ask you to do that for me."

"Yes, you can, Sweetums," he insisted.

"It could be years, Steve."

"I'll wait as long as I have to. I just need to know there's a light at the end of the tunnel. Tell me you'll come to me first when you're ready. Tell me that we can be friends, real friends, while I wait. Tell me it would kill you to see me with someone else. Tell me you still love me."

"I can't, Steve," she cried. "I'm sorry. I just can't."

He held her tighter and started to kiss her neck. "Please, Laura. Please. Please. Please."

She felt tears hit her neck and realized he was crying, too. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Steve."

"OH, GOD! Laura, please, ask me to wait for you. I need you. Please."

"I can't, Steve. I can't trust you. I can't trust anyone," she cried.

"Because I left? Laura, I promise that won't happen again. It won't. It won't."

"That's not it, Steve."

He pulled his face away from her neck and looked at her eyes. "What did he do to you, Sweetums?"

Laura shook her head. "Nothing," she lied. "We just grew apart."

"Laura Winslow, do you think I can't tell when you're lying to me?"

She looked away, knowing he could. She buttoned her jeans again and tried to wiggle out of his embrace. He pulled her closer. "Steve…"

"What did he do, Laura Lee? How did he hurt you?"

"Steve…" she tried to pull away again.

He placed his hand under her chin to maintain eye contact. "Did he cheat on you, Laura?"

"No, and I don't wanna–"

"Did he meet someone else?"

"No."

"What did he do, Laura? Why can't you trust me?"

"HE HIT ME, STEVE," she shouted, frustrated.

Her words knocked all the wind out of Steve. He couldn't believe it. He released her and immediately fainted. He collapsed to the ground, and Laura grabbed the laundry and ran upstairs to put it away. She didn't want to deal with this anymore.


	7. Chapter 7

When Steve came to, he immediately went to find her. He slipped into her bedroom and tried to speak, "La–" She covered his mouth and pointed to the crib by her bed. He took her hand and pulled her down to the living room. He sat her down on the couch and said, "What happened?"

"It was a long time ago, Steve. I've never told anyone, and I don't want to now. I just wanted you to know why this could never work. I never want to get married again. It changes people."

"You need to tell me, Laura, especially if you've never told anyone before."

"It's none of your business, Steve."

"It damn well is," he insisted.

"No, Steve. It's not. You don't get to walk out on me and come back as the knight in shining armor. It doesn't work like that. If you hadn't left me, none of this ever would have happened. You have no right to ask anything of me."

"You're right. It's my fault, which is exactly why I have a right to know. I need to know what happened, so I know what to apologize for."

She started to cry again. "Please, Steve, just leave this alone."

He moved closer and took her into his arms as she cried. "No, my love, I can't. I need to know, and you need to get it off your chest. Please, tell me. It's time."

She continued to cry, and she buried her face in his chest, but she began the story, "It was just after Elijah was born. He was about two months old, and we hadn't started having sex again. Stefan was getting frustrated with me and with a lack of modeling work available in Chicago. He wanted to move to Italy, but since we had the kids, I needed to be near my family. We fought about that and the sex thing constantly. One night, we were getting ready for bed, and we started to fight again."

 _I was in the bathroom, brushing my teeth, and he came up behind me. He wrapped his arms around me and started to kiss my neck. I leaned into him because he never just touched me like that anymore. "Mmm… Hi, Baby," I whispered._

 _"Hey, Princess."_

 _I rinsed my mouth and set the toothbrush down. I turned around and kissed him softly. He looked down at me, and he got that look in his eye. I used to love that look, but after Eli, it just meant that we were going to fight because I didn't feel ready, and he did. He kissed me again, deeper, and slipped my tank top down to expose my breasts._

 _He broke the kiss to leer at them. "Your tits are so huge right now, Baby."_

 _I moved to cover up, but he grabbed my arms and forced them back down. "Stefan, stop," I said firmly._

 _He reached out and started to grope me._

 _"No," I said, again._

 _He ignored me and kept touching me, so I slapped him. "I said, 'No', Stefan," I shouted._

 _He placed a hand on his cheek and yelled back, "C'mon, Laura. You haven't fucked me in months. Just let me do it. I'll be quick." He moved closer to me again, and I moved away. Unfortunately, I went the wrong way and cornered myself. "Get away from me. I told you I wasn't ready."_

 _"The doctor said you were fine a month ago," he insisted. "I'm your husband. You need to take care of me. I always take care of you when you need it."_

 _"Not when you're in Milan or Rome or Paris."_

 _"I'm sorry I work so hard to provide for you while you do nothing all day."_

 _"Leave me alone," I said as I tried to push past him._

 _He pinned me up against the bathroom wall and stuck his hand in my pajama pants. He tried to finger me, but I was completely dry. He licked his finger and started to play with my clit._

 _"Stop, Stefan," I insisted._

 _"No, Laura. I have needs. You do, too. You probably just get them satisfied by someone else when I'm gone, don't you? You've always been a slut. I don't know why I thought a ring would change that."_

 _I started to cry and continued to try to push him away, but he was too strong. Eventually, he was frustrated that I wasn't getting wet, and he moved on. He slipped off his pajama pants and told me to go down on him._

 _"Get on your knees."_

 _I refused, praying he wouldn't force me to, and he didn't. Instead, he just hit me. He slapped my face, but not like I had slapped him. It wasn't the kind that just stung a bit. It was the kind that left bruises. Then he hit my back and knocked me on the hard tile floor. I curled into a ball to protect myself, and he got dressed and stormed out. Once I was sure he was gone, I packed up the boys, and we went to my parents' house. I told them that things just weren't working out, and they never asked about the bruise on my face, but I think they knew._

As Laura finished her story, she felt a calm wash over her. Steve was right. She did need to tell someone. Steve, on the other hand, was a sobbing mess. Laura lifted her head to look at him, and he just sobbed harder. She tried to think of something to say that might comfort him a little, since telling him had made her feel so much better, but she couldn't think of anything. She moved so that she could put her arm around him. His head landed in the curve of her neck, and he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist. She rubbed his back while he cried.

Eventually, however, Michael woke from his nap and went downstairs. He walked into the living room and said, "What's wrong, Uncle Steve?"

Both Steve and Laura jumped and moved away from each other. Steve wiped his eyes and sniffled. Laura put on a big, fake smile and said, "Oh, nothing, Baby. Uncle Steve was just throwing a temper tantrum." She pulled Michael into her lap.

"Oh. Why?"

Laura thought for a moment and then winked at Steve. "Because he wanted us to come over and swim in his pool, but I said, 'No' again."

"Aww, man. Can't we go, Mommy?"

"Oh, no. You wanna go, too, now?" she asked, faking frustration. "Darn, I never should have mentioned it."

"Please, Mom, can we go? Please. Please. Please," Michael begged.

Steve, beginning to recover from his _tantrum_ , joined in. "Please! Please! Please!"

Laura rolled her eyes at him. "All right," she agreed, "we can go for a little while."

"Yay!" Michael said, jumping from her lap and breaking into a sprint toward the stairs. "I'll go put on my swimsuit!"

"Put a shirt on, too, please." Laura called after him. She turned to Steve. "I have to go get Elijah, then."

"No, wait. We still need to talk," he insisted, grabbing her hand to prevent her from leaving.

"No, we don't, Steve. Telling you did make me feel better, but it really is over now and I don't like to dwell on it."

Steve nodded. "Ok, Laura, but um, thank you for telling me."

"Thank you for listening," she said, kissing him slowly and softly on the cheek as she stood. She turned quickly and went to the stairs.

When Laura came back down, having packed up both boys and herself for the day, she found Steve on the phone.

"Uh-huh. Yup," he said as he turned and saw her. "Oh, I gotta go. You know what to do." He hung up the receiver. "All set, my pet?"

"Yeah, who was on the phone?"

Steve glanced at the phone sideways. "OH! The phone. Oh, no one. I just had to call one of the European offices about something."

Laura narrowed her eyes at him. Having him back in her life for several weeks now had tuned her back into his signals. She knew he was lying but wasn't sure why. "Uh-huh," she said, her suspicion presenting clearly on her face.

Steve moved toward her to take the bags from her hands. Hoping to change the subject, he continued, "So, anyway, I actually drove myself here today, so we're going to have to cram into my car." He started to walk toward the front door.

"Oh, God. Please, tell me you've replaced the Isetta."

He laughed and snorted. "I did," he confirmed.

They stepped outside and into the driveway where he gestured wildly at his much newer BMW. Laura breathed an audible sigh of relief when she saw it looked nothing like the clown car he used to drive. They piled the kids into the back easily because Steve had already had car seats installed. Laura cringed at his forwardness, but he brushed it off like the most normal thing in the world. They both climbed in, and Steve pulled out of the driveway.

Steve lived just over a half-hour away. When he turned into the circular driveway of his mansion, Laura's jaw dropped. She knew he had money, and he warned her that his house was extravagant, but she couldn't believe they built houses like this at all in the state of Illinois. Steve got out of the car and opened her door. She took his hand as she stepped out, and she was glad she did because her knees buckled immediately.

"Woops!" he said as he grabbed her waist to help her regain her footing. "Remind me not to take you on the boat. You can't even find your land legs, let alone sea legs," he snorted.

She didn't hear a word. "Steve? W-why do you own… a… a hou-… Why do you own… _this_?" She gestured to the house.

"Real estate's a good investment, Sweetheart. I certainly don't need all the space, and I tend to prefer simpler things, but I gotta put the money somewhere."

"Like a bank?" she suggested.

He laughed. "C'mon, Laura, you know that's not how it works at this level. Some of it's in the bank. Some of it's in the market. Some of it's in houses. Tons of it gets donated, I promise."

She relaxed a little, certain he was telling the truth. "Donate more this year," she insisted.

"Yes, Ma'am," he agreed.

They pulled the stuff and the kids out of the car. Michael was over the moon. "I've never seen a house this big, Mama!"

"Neither have I, Mikey."

Steve led them inside, and he watched Laura's face as she gawked at the entryway. "How about a tour before we swim?"

"No!" Laura insisted. "I'd rather not see all of it right now."

"Ok," Steve nodded. "Then the pool is this way," he said, placing a hand on her back to walk her to the back of the house.

"I need to change first," she said.

"There's a restroom by the pool!"

She nodded and suddenly had no idea why she was surprised by that. "How many bathrooms does this house have, Steve?"

"I'm not going to answer that, Sweetums, for your own safety."

After a long walk through the large house, they came to the indoor half of the pool. "When it's warmer," Steve said, "those glass panels lift, and you can swim from the inside to the outside, but it's still too chilly for my taste. Now, the bathroom is right there. I have to run upstairs to change, but you guys can just make yourselves at home. Mi casa es su casa."

"So, if you have to go all the way upstairs, you'll be back in like six hours or so?" Laura joked.

Steve grinned goofily. "Just about." As he left, he heard Michael ask several questions, confused by Laura's sarcasm.

When Steve returned, he saw Michael was already in the pool. Laura was propped up on a recliner by the edge, watching him carefully. Eli was happily cooing in her lap. Steve was disappointed to see that she wasn't sporting a bikini. She had on a tankini that fully covered her stomach. It was a solid red with a deep neckline, which exposed her cleavage. Though Steve could see little of the back, he could tell that more of her back was exposed than her stomach. She had a floor-length black skirt covering the bottoms.

He climbed into the recliner beside hers wearing his swim trunks, a Hawaiian shirt, and sandals. Unbeknownst to anyone else, underneath his trunks, he wore a Speedo to keep everything… _in place_ while he spent the day with Laura. He wasn't sure it would help, but it seemed like it was worth a shot.

She smiled at him as he sat down. His shirt and suit combination looked ridiculous and she was glad to see another hint of the old Steve.

"Sweetheart, I notice you're not wearing a bikini," he began,

"That's how you begin a conversation?" she laughed. "I notice you're not wearing a Speedo."

He blushed, feeling like she had caught on to his plan, but he hid his embarrassment, knowing she hadn't. He raised his eyebrows at her. "I'd be happy to go put one on, if you'd prefer."

She shook her head. "Not in front of the kids, Steve," she scolded softly.

He nodded. "Really, Sweetums, why aren't you wearing a bikini? That used to be your suit of choice."

She rolled her eyes. "I just didn't bring one, Steve."

"So, it's not because you don't think you can pull one off anymore?"

She kept her eyes locked on Michael, a little embarrassed that he could read her so well.

"Because you absolutely can," he continued. "You are still gorgeous, Laura. You've always had a tendency to miss what everyone else in the world can see, but it's true."

"You haven't seen me naked since before I had kids," she whispered. "You don't know what I look like now."

"Then show me," he whispered back, glad to have an extra barrier between his member and the open air as he felt it start to harden.

"Steve, please, just leave this alone, ok? You can't flirt with me like that so close to Michael."

He nodded, feeling a little ashamed. "You're right. I'm sorry. This is Family Day. Best behavior from now on."

"Thank you."

He stood and unbuttoned his shirt. Laura's eyes widened involuntarily as his muscular back appeared before her. He turned back to her, and her eyes locked on his defined abs and muscular arms. She started to breathe a little more heavily and completely lost sight of their recent agreement to keep things G-rated for the day.

He raised his eyebrows as he noticed the shocked, but lustful, gaze that trailed his chest. He even saw her start to nibble on her lip, so he remained silent while she devoured him with her eyes, not wanting to cut her fantasy time short.

Eventually, she snapped out of it. "Oh, um. So you're getting in the pool?" she asked, attempting to sound casual.

"Yes," he said.

He was smiling just a little too proudly, tipping her off to the fact that he had caught her staring. She blushed and looked out at Lake Michigan out the windows.

"You're coming in, too, right?"

"I really wasn't planning on it."

"Please," he said, "I insist."

Michael swam to the edge. "Are you coming in, Mom?"

Sometimes, she couldn't turn him down. "Ok, Baby. Just a second."

Steve helped her setup a portable playpen for Elijah, and she got him in there with plenty of toys. Steve watched, entranced, as she slipped off her skirt, revealing her shapely legs to his hungry eyes.

This time she caught him staring, and she smiled at him, teasingly. She passed him as she approached the edge of the pool, whispering, "Best behavior, remember?" as she slinked by.

Best behavior or not, he still stared at her butt in that tiny swimsuit bottom as she passed him. She dove into the pool and swam after Michael, pretending to chase him. Snapping out of his trance, Steve cannonballed in after her, grateful Carl and Laura had taught him how to swim years ago.

The three played energetically in the water for hours, even bringing Eli in for a while in his flotation suit. When afternoon started to turn to evening, however, Laura realized she hadn't left a note for her parents. They packed everything up, got dressed, and headed home.

Steve walked Laura and the kids to the door. She opened it, and Michael ran in immediately. He was polite enough to yell, "Bye, Uncle Steve," as he passed.

Steve chuckled, and Laura shook her head. Left alone again, well, except for the baby, looking at Steve became harder for Laura. When it was just them, she could never suppress the warm feelings in her gut. Instead, she tried to talk over them. "Thanks so much for having us over today, Steve. You've made Michael's month."

Steve beamed proudly. "No sweat, my pet. I had a wonderful time. I loved playing a family man."

Laura looked at the door, unsure of how she could politely end this. "Well," she said, "I would invite you in for dinner, but…"

"But what?" Steve asked.

"You know…" Steve stared at her blankly, and she realized they hadn't had that conversation yet. "Oh, umm… Well, everyone's still kind of… mad at you."

Steve's eyes widened. "They are? Be-because I left you or…?"

"No, no, I never told them that. I told them I chose Stefan. They're mad at you because you left them."

Steve continued to stare at her with a dumb look on his face.

"C'mon, Steve. You left without telling anyone goodbye. You never called. You never left an address. They understood why you left, or they thought they did because I told them I dumped you, but they expected you to at least try to maintain a relationship with them. Until you started showing up on TV, my grandmother was convinced you were dead. You kind of broke their hearts, too."

Steve was bewildered. "I-I never thought they'd care."

Laura looked at him with little sympathy. "Well, they did, Steve. A lot people care about you very much. You should start believing that." She turned toward the door and went to open it.

He placed a hand in front of her. "Invite me to dinner, Laura. _Please_. I need to apologize to them."

She turned back to him. "An apology won't be enough, Steve."

"There's nowhere else to start, Laura Lee, _please_."

She nodded and sighed, "Ok, but don't expect me to rush to your defense." She opened the door and walked in. Steve followed meekly behind her. No one was in the living room, so they walked into the kitchen and found Harriette and Carl cooking dinner. 3J was upstairs being a moody teenager.

They turned as Laura and Steve entered. Harriette widened her eyes and looked back at the pot in front of her. Carl placed the knife he was using carefully in front of him and went upstairs.

Yeah, that went about as well as Laura had expected. "Mom, I… um… invited Steve to dinner."

Harriette didn't look up. "I thought you quit."

"It was actually all a big misunderstanding," Laura mumbled, embarrassed by the drama she'd brought into the house for no reason.

"Mm-hm," Harriette replied.

Laura looked at Steve. If he was going to start mending fences, he had to actually start. Steve took a step toward Harriette. Laura sat down at the kitchen table, putting Elijah in the high chair beside her. "Harriette," Steve began softly.

She continued to stir, ignoring him completely.

"Harriette, I think I owe you an apology."

She scoffed and said nothing.

"Ok, I _know_ I owe you an apology… and a big one." Steve stepped closer to her when she still did not respond. "When I left," he began, trying to be truthful but not out Laura's lie, "I was in a bad place. My heart was broken, and the thought of Laura or any Winslow felt like wolves were tearing me to shreds. I-I thought it would be easier for everyone if I made a clean break. I didn't think anyone would even notice I was gone."

She turned to him and released the spoon. She folded her arms across her chest. "You're pretty hard not to notice."

Steve nodded. "It was dumb, and it was selfish. After all you and Carl did for me, you deserved better than that. I am _so_ sorry."

Harriette's eyes softened. She was hurt when Steve left and never called, but she believed he must have needed to do it. All she really wanted was for all her kids, both the ones she had and the ones she took in, to be happy. He didn't seem happy, now, though. She opened her arms, and he embraced her. "Steve Urkel, you are always welcome here, you know that."

"Thank you, Harriette."

"Don't feel too relieved," she warned him, pulling away, but still holding on to his shoulders. "Carl and 3J are going to take a lot more convincing."

"And that's just the people in this house," Laura quipped.

Harriette squeezed his arms affectionately. "You are forgiven in my book, but don't you ever do that again," she threatened.

"Yes, Ma'am!"

"I mean it, Steve. I need you to call at least once a month."

"No problemo, but I hope I'll be stopping by a little more often," he said, glancing back to Laura.

Harriette watched as Laura looked away from his hopeful eyes. _She's going to break this poor boy's heart again._ "Fine, just no disappearing."

"Scouts' honor," Steve promised.

They hugged again, and he said, "Well, I guess I should go make nice with 3J." He headed up the stairs, and Harriette sat down with Laura for a minute to rest her feet. "So, why the dinner guest tonight?"

"He kind of invited himself."

"He's always been good at that," Harriette joked, reaching out to stroke Laura's wet hair.

Laura smirked. "We went to his house today to swim. He drove us home, and I told him why he couldn't come in, which only made him want to more."

"That does sound like him. He's not one to leave things alone."

"No, he's not," Laura agreed.

Harriette took a deep breath. "Why did you quit, Laura?"

"It's not important now, Mom."

"I think it is," she pressed.

Laura inhaled and sighed. She thought about lying. She thought about refusing to tell her. All of it seemed like way too much work for nothing. "I thought he was sleeping with someone else."

"And that bothered you?" Harriette asked, struggling to follow the ups and downs of this relationship.

"No, it _destroyed_ me."

"Because you want to be with him or because you don't want anyone else to have him?"  
"I don't know."

"Well, you better figure it out, Laura, because that boy is invested again."

"I know, Mom," Laura whined, "but I don't know what to do. I'm not in a position to date right now, so how am I supposed to figure out what these feelings mean?"

"You could date, if you wanted to."

"I don't want to be that kind of mother, Mom."

"The happy kind?" Harriette asked.

"The kind that spends her free time out, instead of at home with her kids."

"You need a balance, Laura," Harriette insisted.

"I can't risk it, Mom. I _need_ this job."

"Apparently, you already are risking it. You do remember you quit this morning, right? And that was only because you _thought_ he was sleeping with someone else."

Laura rested her face in her hands. "I had every reason to believe he was."

Harriette waited, expecting an explanation.

Laura looked up, embarrassed. "I overheard him in his office, and it sounded like…" she trailed off. "It turned out, he wasn't," she offered, trying to be discrete.

"What was he doing?"

Laura grimaced. "He was… he was alone, ok?"

"Alone? Well, what was he – _Ohhhh_ …" Harriette caught the drift. "In the _office_?"

Laura nodded. "To be fair, he's been spending a lot of time with me, so he just… had some steam to blow off."

"Steam's an interesting word for it," Harriette retorted.

"Mom!"

Harriette started to laugh. "Oh, Honey, I'm just not sure that you and Steve can really be 'just friends' anymore. You really never were. It's just it used to be one-sided. You made a big mistake before, Laura, when you dumped him. We all know that. I'm just afraid to watch you make the same one all over again."

Laura looked down at her lap. She was really tempted to ask her mother about what was really holding her back, her trust issues, but being that she'd kept so much of that a secret, she just couldn't ask for her advice.

"Just think about it," Harriette said as she stood to resume dinner. "While you do, help me chop the vegetables your father didn't finish."

About an hour later, Harriette called upstairs, "Boys? Dinner's ready."

Michael was the first one down. He took a seat at the table as Laura finished setting it. She gave him a kiss on the forehead as she went to grab some of the food from the counter.

Carl followed quickly behind, never one to be late for dinner. He walked in, suspicious, breathing a big sigh of relief when he didn't see Steve. "Oh, thank God, he's gone."

"He's upstairs, Carl," Harriette warned as she took a seat.

"He is? Aw, man. I really wanted this spaghetti you made, Sweetheart."

"What do you mean, Carl? He's not going to eat it all."

"I'm not sharing a meal with him, Harriette."

"Carl–"

"Nope, I'll go see if Mama wants to go out to dinner tonight. She's always up for complaining about the Nerd."

"Daddy, please, don't call him that in front of Michael," Laura asked.

"Who's the Nerd?" Michael asked, brought into the conversation by his name.

"Grandpa's calling names, Mikey," Harriette answered.

"That's not nice!" Michael scolded.

" _No_ , it's not," Laura said, glaring at the offending party.

Carl huffed, "I'll see you all later tonight." He quickly moved to the door and slammed it as he left.

Steve and 3J joined them for dinner soon. 3J had had plenty of abandonment issues before Steve left, but after lots of pleading and $400, he decided to forgive him. Steve was thrilled to have won over everyone in the house except for Carl. As he took a seat next to Laura, he asked, "So, is Big Guy still hiding from me upstairs?"

"Carl left," Harriette answered.

"He _left_?! Aw, man, I was going to apologize to him next."

"We warned you it wouldn't be easy," Laura reminded him.

Michael wasn't following. "Why's Grandpa mad at Uncle Steve?"

" _Uncle_ Steve?" Harriette asked. "Well, won't that just be confusing if you two…?" she gestured between them.

Laura ignored her. "Uncle Steve hurt Grandpa's feelings, but he's really sorry, so Grandpa needs to work on being a little more forgiving."

" _Uncle_ Steve could try hurting people's feelings less," 3J mumbled.

"I thought you two were ok?" Laura asked, turning to Steve.  
"We were a minute ago," Steve replied. "3J?"

3J waved at him dismissively. "I'm just sayin', Mr. W's not the problem. He can forgive Steve whenever the hell he's good and ready. We're fine, but that's because I am a mature gentleman." He popped his collar for effect.

"Watch your language," Harriette warned.

Laura smiled softly at Steve, "Give it time, Steve."

The rest of the dinner went on without disturbance. Steve was thrilled to be back in the house. He had never felt more at home. He had actually forgotten how good home could feel. He happily helped Harriette clear the table when 3J went upstairs and Laura took the boys into the other room.

When he found her again, Elijah was already down for the night, and Michael was in his bed in Steve's old room. She was in his bed, too, and she was reading him a bedtime story. He watched from the door as she read, because she still hadn't noticed him yet. He wanted to climb into bed with them. He wanted to help her do the voices. He wanted to make Michael laugh. He wanted to tuck him in. He wanted to give him a kiss good night. He wanted to hold Laura as they slipped out of the dark room. However, he couldn't do any of that, not yet, so he watched. After Laura tucked Michael in, she noticed Steve and gestured for him to follow her. They ended up in the backyard, sharing a bench, looking up at the stars. It was a long time before either of them said anything.

"My dad's still not home," Laura said.

"I guess I'll have to catch him next time."

"I guess so."

"Laura, I think I owe you an apology, too."

"You've already apologized to me, Steve," she said, not necessarily implying that all was forgiven, but at least that she had heard all she needed to hear.

"No, not for leaving or how I left, though I am sorry about all of that that. I mean, for how I've treated you lately."

She turned to look at him. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I realized today that I've been treating you a lot like Stefan did," he admitted softly.

"What? Have you been beating me when I wasn't looking?"  
Steve shuddered slightly at the casualness of such a terrible remark. "No, I just mean that I shouldn't pressure you like I have been. You told me you weren't ready, and I've just been ignoring that because I thought I knew what was best for you. That was wrong, and I'm very sorry."  
Laura nodded. "Thank you, Steve, but it's not like you weren't getting any signals from my end. I haven't exactly been clear."  
"Well, maybe not, but verbally, you were clear, and I should respect that until you tell me otherwise. From here on out, I will be friendly, and I will be flirty, like I've always been, but I'm going to stop being this guy who touches you without permission or says dirty things. I'm resetting our relationship back to where it was in high school. It's my best behavior all the time now."

Laura just listened.

"I really loved being part of the family today, both with just you and the boys and with everyone else. That's where I'm going to focus my energy for now. I just hope you'll come to me when you're ready."

"I will," Laura promised for the first time. She smiled at him and reached for his hand.

He let her take it and smiled right back, happy to let her take the lead and set the boundaries again. He never wanted to hurt her the way other men had.

She stared at him for a while, but eventually, she couldn't resist. She leaned in to kiss him, and he waited until her lips had pressed against his before he leaned in a bit to kiss her back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. Their tongues intertwined, and _she_ placed his hands on her back. For a while, they just kissed. They pulled back for breaths occasionally, but those breaths were short and often included a soft moan when they returned. Eventually, Carl walked by and saw them, but they didn't notice, and he didn't interrupt. He slipped inside, and Laura and Steve remained in an uninterrupted lip-lock for hours. Steve never tried to take it further, as badly as he wanted to. He just enjoyed what he was given.

When Laura broke the kiss, she smiled at him for a while. Then, she thanked him for being so understanding and went to bed. He ended up sleeping on that bench that night, completely unwilling to budge from his new favorite spot.

That same night in Italy, Stefan Urquelle returned to a dark, empty apartment. At least, he thought it was empty. When Stefan went into his bathroom, a large man stepped out of the shadows and hit him hard in the face. Then he hit him on the back, knocking him to the hard tile floor.

"Never touch Laura Winslow again," he threatened, and he walked out of the apartment at a strolling pace.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's note with mild spoiler: Thanks for reading and reviewing. I warn you that this chapter has some heavy lemon, but the beginning and the end are more important than the graphic stuff. Read what you want to read. :) (Season X is still in progress.)**

After that kiss, Steve and Laura really began to act like they were just friends. Steve still met her in the morning, they still had lunch every day, and they still walked out together at night, but everyone kept their hands to themselves and flirtatious conversation was kept completely PG. There were no references to more risqué moments in their relationship, either. Steve didn't even press her to talk about things she wasn't ready to talk about.

This went on for a couple of months. When August rolled around, and Urkorp was ready to unveil its newest product, things changed.

The evening started normally enough. They were throwing a huge party in the office while they waited for responses to come back from overseas distributors. If everything went as planned and the product was picked up, they had plenty of booze and food to celebrate outside of Steve's office. If it was a flop, they had plenty of booze and food to drown and stuff their sorrows. The tiny waiting room was packed with executives, their dates, interns, assistants, and all of the scientists who had worked on the project. They were Steve's favorite guests, other than Laura, because he could actually understand them. He was never meant for the world of executives. It was just where he ended up. Talking about science he could handle. Laura was great with the business people, at least. He was grateful he had her for many reasons, but as far as professional skills went, that was a big one.

Laura was just glad to have a night out of the house. With this project, she had been working non-stop. When she wasn't working, she spent every waking moment with her kids because she felt so guilty about working all the time. She was glad to steal just one night where she could dress like an adult and have a little fun. She wore a light pink dress that Steve bought for her. It was tight and low-cut with thin straps. It rested just below mid-thigh. Sure, it was still a work function, but since the project was done, and they were only waiting for results, no one really had any work to do.

For each country that called, they opened a new bottle of champagne and did a new toast. So far, they had only had positive responses. The last call they were expecting was coming from Iceland. At 2:08 in Chicago, it was 8:08 in Reykjavik. Steve began to worry when the call was late. Laura walked over to his side and squeezed his hand for support. As their hands locked together, the phone started to ring, and Steve answered it.

He spoke in what Laura assumed was Icelandic. She couldn't read his expression, but his hand squeezed hers tighter.

As he hung up the phone, he turned to everyone slowly. His face looked deeply depressed, but he dropped that act quickly and yelled, "We have distributors in all thirty countries!"

Everyone cheered, and Laura grabbed Steve's face. She planted a quick kiss on his lips and released him as her tipsy brain caught up with her actions. They stood by awkwardly as someone went to grab the last bottle of champagne. Steve led the final toast of the evening and thanked everyone for their hard work. He told them they were welcome stay as long as they wished, but by 3:00 am, he and Laura were the only two left.

She pulled out a garbage bag and started to clean up.

He laughed at her softly. "Laura, you don't have to do that."

"I don't mind," she said. "It's my job."

"No," he replied, taking the bag from her, "that's maintenance's job. You did your job tonight. You can go home." He set the bag on the ground.

"I don't go home until you do," she said firmly.

He nodded. "Then I'll call Maven to drive us both."

"Oh, I can drive, Steve. I only finished one glass of champagne. For every other toast, I just took a sip."

"It's late, though. I don't want you driving."

"I'm fine, really."

"Humor me, Sweetums?" he smiled at her.

"Ok," she agreed sweetly, smiling back.

He picked up the receiver, and she took it from him. She set it back in the cradle. "Can we wait another minute?"

"Don't you have to get home to the kids?"

"They've been in bed for hours, Steve. I won't see them until morning anyway."

"Oh, I guess you're right."

She waved at him to follow. "C'mon."

Steve followed her as she walked into his office. It was the only place that had a clean surface to sit on. She shut the door behind them and sat on the couch that faced the river. He took a seat next to her, and they sat quietly in the dark, watching the water move. Laura slipped out of her heels and moved closer to Steve. She curled her legs up behind her and put an arm around his neck. She started to softly stroke the back of it. Her light touch made his hair stand on end, but he was still trying to behave, so he didn't move. He just let her touch him.

She leaned closer and rested her chin on his shoulder. She moved her mouth to his ear and whispered, "Thank you for being so patient, Steve."

He turned to her, his eyebrows scrunched in confusion. "Patient? What do you mean?"

"Thank you for being patient with _me_. I know I haven't exactly been fair to you."

"You have been plenty fair, Laura Lee."

"No, I haven't," she admitted, embarrassed. "I've been teasing you like crazy since I got here, and I know it's because I have trust issues now, but it still wasn't fair to you."

"Laura, don't give it a second thought. You're working through something that's extremely difficult. All that matters is that you're comfortable."  
"I have been lately, Steve, thanks to you."

He looked at her beautiful face. She was closer to him than she had been in weeks, excluding tonight's earlier kiss. All he could think about was taking her into his arms and kissing her again. It would be a deeper kiss, the kind of kiss she really deserved. He wanted to show her how incredible it would feel to be loved again, to be worshipped the way she ought to be, but he didn't. He just gazed at her lovingly. Though he tried to control them, so she didn't feel pressured, his eyes begged for her touch.

She leaned forward and kissed him. She placed one hand on his cheek as the other continued to caress his neck. She sucked on his bottom lip, and her tongue begged for entry.

When he was convinced that she really wanted him to, he opened his mouth for her. It was his first real kiss in months, and though he tried to control himself, he moaned softly into her mouth. "Mmmmm…" He feared, for a moment, that she would pull away, but the moan only seemed to encourage her. He felt her move down to his neck, leaving soft, wet kisses wherever she went. When she reached her destination, she kissed him softly and then began to suck hard. He moaned again, "Oohhhhh…" He couldn't believe she remembered where to kiss him.

She grinned to herself as she kissed, proud that he wasn't the only one who could remember things. Feeling brave, she left a hickey on his neck, knowing he wouldn't be able to cover it since it was above his collar. She slipped his jacket off of his shoulders and undid his tie. She opened the first few buttons on his shirt so she could kiss a little lower. She planted kisses across his defined collarbone. She was surprised that his arms remained politely at his sides while she kissed him. She realized how much effort he must have been putting into letting her take the lead. She decided the least she could do was be clear about what she wanted. She moved to nibble on his ear the way he always loved, and she ran a hand down his chest. Eventually, it reached his groin, and she placed it firmly on his member. She could feel how hard he was through his pants, and she started to rub him through the fabric.

He reacted immediately. First, he groaned involuntarily, "Unnnggghhh…", but as he realized what was happening, he pushed her away. "Laura," he gripped her by the wrist so her hand remained above his waist, "what are you doing?"  
She stopped kissing his ear to look into his eyes. She couldn't blame him for being confused, but she also wasn't sure she could really say it definitively. "I… um… I'm trying to make love to you, Steve."

He swallowed hard, fighting to maintain his self-control. "No," he squeaked out, his brain winning out against every muscle in his body.

Laura was deeply hurt by that. She pulled her wrist away and scooted back on the couch slightly. "No?"

He hated the way her eyebrows furrowed in pain. He wasn't trying to hurt her feelings. He just wanted to protect her. "You've been drinking, Laura."

"It was one glass of champagne," she argued, coming off a little more frustrated than she intended to.

"That's one glass too many to make this decision, Sweetheart."

"No, it's not, Steve. That's _ridiculous_!"

"You're tired, too, my love. I just don't want us doing anything that you're going to regret tomorrow."

"Steve, tonight's our only chance for a while," she urged. "I'm not gonna have another night out for a long time after this."

"But you could!" he insisted.

"No, Steve, because _they're_ my priority. I want this, Steve. I _really_ do. I wanna do this for me, and I wanna do this to thank you, but we can't do it tomorrow or the next day. This is a onetime only offer."

He looked at her sadly. "We shouldn't do it until you've thought about it more."

"I _have_ been thinking about this, Steve. I've been thinking about this since that night we kissed at the house. I want this, Steve. I've wanted this for a long time. I just wasn't ready before. _Please_ , I'm ready now."

He looked at her and watched her practically beg. He wanted to believe her. He was just terrified of ruining everything again. "If it's just a onetime thing, though, what will happen after?"

She looked away, a little embarrassed that she was asking him for this. She still really wasn't being fair to him, but once had to be better than never, _right_? "Well, I guess, things would go back to normal for a while, until I'm ready for something more. This is a slow process, Steve, I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," he said, reaching for her hand. "I'm here for you, whatever you need," he promised.

She moved closer to him again. "You know what I need," she whispered breathily.

"Yowsaaaa…" he moaned.

She placed her lips right up to his ear. " _Please_ , Steve. You know me better than _anyone_. Give me what I need."

He growled softly, "Ehmmm…" He pulled her on to his lap, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He kissed her deeply, and she started to grind into his lap. "What do you need, Laura?"

She moaned softly, "Oooo, I need _you_ , Steve."

"What do you need me to _do_ to you?"

"I need you to make love to me, Steve," she whispered, looking deeply into his eyes, as she continued to rub herself against him.

"Take off your dress," he whispered.

She looked at him nervously but stood in front of him. She reached for her zipper, but she hesitated.

"What's wrong, Laura?" he asked, not missing a moment of her ever-changing expression.

"I don't look like I used to, Steve," she said apprehensively, crossing her arms over her stomach.

"I'm sure you are even more beautiful now, Sweetums," he insisted.

"No, I'm not. The skin on my stomach is loose, and my breasts aren't quite as perky. My butt's not as tight," she listed anxiously.

He stood up and moved in front of her. He placed his hands on her hips and pulled her into him. He kissed the top of her head, and she relaxed against him. "I'm not going to ask you to do anything you're not ready to do, Laura Lee, but please, don't think for a moment that I'm going to want you less than I ever have."

She held him tightly. She really did want to do this tonight. She had been thinking about it all night, and she knew he had, too, because she looked great in this dress. Now, as she was faced with removing it, however, her confidence had faded.

"What are you thinking, Sweetheart? What do you want to do?" he asked as he held her.

She hesitated but responded, "I want you, Steve."

He moved his hand to her zipper. "Then, relax, my pet." He slowly slipped it down her back. The sound ripped through their silence. He reached the end of the track, and he took a moment to stroke her bare back. "Your skin is so soft," he purred.

She smiled into his neck and kissed him there gently.

His fingers trailed up and down her spine, but then he pulled away and, in one swift motion, pulled her dress to the floor. It pooled around her feet, and she gasped as she stood before him in only a white lacy thong. He put his hands on her hips but left space between them so he could marvel at her figure. He forced himself to make eye contact as much as he could but often found that he couldn't pull his eyes away from her body.

She grew nervous in his silence. She desperately needed him to say something, "Steve?"

"Yes, my pet?"

"Please, tell me I'm beautiful, even if you don't–"

He pulled her against him and kissed her. His eyes remained open, but hers drifted shut as his tongue began to move in and out of her mouth. He broke the kiss and whispered against her lips, "Don't you _dare_ finish that sentence. Of _course_ , I think you're beautiful. You are the most gorgeous creature I have ever seen. I was only silent because your body leaves me speechless."

Her knees shook slightly, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Really?"

" _Really_ ," he promised, kissing her quickly. He pulled away to look at her again. "How could you question it for a second, Laura?"

She shrugged silently, uncomfortable under his scrutiny.

He shook his head. "It breaks my heart that you feel so insecure, Sweetums. Your stomach is still perfectly flat. You're very fit."

She looked down at herself and stroked the skin a little, embarrassed by its looseness.

Steve got on his knees in front of her and placed his hand on her stomach. She tried to pull back, but he held her in place. He stroked her and said, "I know the skin isn't as tight as it once was, and I can see the couple of stretch marks you think you're hiding with your hands."

She blushed and turned away from him.

"But," he continued, "that just reminds me what a young, fertile woman you are."

These weren't exactly the compliments Laura was hoping to hear, but something about them screamed Steve Urkel.

He started to kiss and lick her stomach, focusing around her navel. "Do you know what a turn-on it is when I think about getting you pregnant? You know I want that, don't you?"

Laura cleared her throat nervously, "Steve, we can't… I mean, tonight is just–"

"I know," he whispered. "I just want you to know what your body makes me think about." He started to lick her navel, and she shuddered. "Are you still on the pill, Laura?"

Her eyes widened as she realized what a huge mistake she was about to make. "Oh, my God." She pushed him away and reached for her dress. " _No_ , Steve, I'm not, and I didn't bring anything. Oh, _damn_ it. I'm such an _idiot_."

As she berated herself, Steve walked over to his desk and pulled out a box of condoms. He walked back over to her and took her dress out of her hands, replacing it with the box. "You're not the only one who's been thinking about this."

"How did you know I wouldn't be on the pill?"

"You mentioned that you and Stefan never started again after Elijah. I just thought it was a possibility."

Laura was so relieved that he had thought this through. That little scare had only cemented for her how much she really wanted this. She set the box down on the coffee table in front of her and looked up to him, a little more confidently. "So, you don't mind my stomach, what about my breasts?"

He smiled down at her as she thrust her chest out slightly for him. He sat back down and pulled her into his lap again. His hands cupped her breasts, and he started to massage them. "Laura Winslow, you can still pull off a low-cut dress without a bra. How insecure can you really be about them?"

She smiled. He had a point.

"They're perfect, Laura. I think about them all the time."

"What do you think about doing to them?" she purred.

He was thrilled she was starting to feel confident enough again to tease him. He pulled her closer so her breasts were right in front of his face. He lifted her slightly and pushed her back down into his lap so he could see them bounce a little.

She moaned when her lacy panties rubbed against his pants again, "Ohhhh…"

He smiled and pulled her forward so he could suck on her nipple. He had spent enough time after the gala rubbing them and caressing them. Now, he needed them in his mouth. He played with her right nipple while he sucked hard on the left one.

She grinded against him more forcefully and moaned over and over for him. "Oooo, Steve… Yessssss… You are sooooo good at this… Mmmm…" He nipped her nipple gently, and she jumped, "Oh!" He smiled at her mischievously and moved to suck on her other breast. He used his hand to continue to stimulate her left nipple. "Don't stop, Steve… Please, don't stop."

He had no intention to do so until he had her begging for more. This was her night. She needed to remember how good it felt to be loved. He was happy to be her willing slave for the evening.

She continued to grind against him and press her chest harder against his face.

He couldn't help but think back to their first time and how differently she had acted then. Her body moved differently now, like she knew what she needed. As he realized that she did know what she needed now, thanks to Stefan, he grew a little jealous. He knew it was his own fault that she had explored her sexuality with Stefan instead of him, but he still hated it. He pulled away from her breast and looked into her eyes. She looked disappointed that he had stopped. He moved his hands down to her butt and started to massage her.

"Why did you stop?" she asked.

He looked up at her. "I love you."

She opened her mouth to respond, but she didn't have anything to say.

"I need to know, Sweetums. Do you still love me?"

She still didn't answer; she just averted her eyes.

He put a hand under her chin and drew her eyes back to his. "It won't change anything, Laura. If you don't love me, I'll still make love to you tonight. If you do love me, I'll still let everything go back to normal again tomorrow. I just need to know. I know you've been thinking about this. You must have an answer by now."

She started to tear up, "Steve…"

"I _need_ to know, Laura. _Please_. Do you still love me?"  
"Yes," she said, surprising herself.

"I need to hear you say it," he begged.

"I still _love_ you, Steve Urkel."

He kissed her and moved to suckle again, but she stopped him.

"Will you go down on me, Steve?"

He licked his lips. "Of course, I will, Pet."

She couldn't figure out why she needed to tell him this, but she did anyway. "Stefan hated it," she admitted. "No one's done that for me since my wedding night."  
Steve narrowed his eyes at her. "Did you go down on him?" he asked, though he already knew the answer based on her performance for him in the kitchen a couple of months ago.

"All the time," she said.

Steve shook his head, "He's an idiot, Laura. You deserve _so_ much better."

She leaned close to Steve and kissed him, then she asked softly, "Do _you_ like how I taste, Steve?"

"I _love_ how you taste, Laura Lee. You taste like honey and wine and sex," he whispered.

She felt her stomach ache and grow hot. "Eat me, Steve, _please_ ," she whimpered. He flipped her over suddenly so her back was on the couch and climbed between her legs. He moved to slip off her panties, but she placed her hand on them to stop him. "Wait," she said.

He paused and looked up at her face.

"It's not as tight as it used to be, Steve."

He grinned wickedly, "What isn't, my pet?"  
She glared down at him. He really wanted her to say _that_ again? She rolled her eyes but obediently cooed, "My _pussy_."

He snickered and snorted. Then he looked at her seriously. "I'm sure you will feel amazing." He moved his face down to her panties and kissed her mound. If she was feeling self-conscious, he wanted her to grow more comfortable before he got her completely naked. He moved down to kiss her entrance through the thin fabric. Her hips bucked against his face, but he continued to lick at the fabric. He unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it on the ground. He didn't want her to be the only one exposed. He lowered his pants as he kissed her, but had to pull away to slip them off with his socks and his shoes.

Laura sat up to see why he had stopped. She was greeted by the sight of him in red plaid boxer-briefs. His erection strained against the fabric, and she lay back down and spread her legs for him.

"Just gettin' a little more comfortable, my pet," he whispered as he climbed between her legs again. He brought her knees closer together so he could slide her panties off. When he took them off, he sat up so she could see him clearly. He placed the panties over his face and inhaled deeply. Then, he sucked on the wet part.

She blushed but secretly loved watching him enjoy her scent.

"You already got your panties _so_ wet for me, my love," he growled. He tossed the panties on the ground and placed his face in front of her womanhood again. He stared at her glistening entrance. He blew on it gently, and she jumped from the chill. "Are you _wet_ for me, Laura?"

"Yes," she whispered, thrusting up toward his face.

" _Tell me_ you're wet for me," he ordered. He did want to be her slave tonight, but he couldn't resist teasing her a little.

"Mmm…" her hips wiggled on the couch, and she spread her legs further. "I'm all wet for _you_ , Steve."

He licked his lips again and stared at her beautiful womanhood. He had never seen a more captivating sight. He placed his hand on her mound and stroked gently. Her skin was bare, and he loved that he could clearly see every detail. "You are _so_ lovely, Laura Lee."

She smiled, "Thank you, Steve." He started to stroke her lips, but never touched her clitoris. She couldn't tell if he was teasing her or he couldn't find it. "Steve, Honey?"

"Yes, my pet?"

"Do you remember where my clit is?"

He smiled smugly. "I _do_."

She glared at him. "Then will you touch it?"

"No," he answered matter-of-factly.

She pushed his head down toward her, sick of his teasing, but he didn't budge.

"Uh-uh-uh, Sugar Lips," he scolded. "We can't rush these things."

"Steeeeve," she whined.

He ran his fingers up and down her opening, never entering, just playing with her sticky wetness. "Patience, my love."

"Please, Steve. Please, eat me out. _Please_ ," she whined.

"Not yet, my pet," he taunted, sticking just the tip of one finger inside of her.

She tried to move closer to him, to get more of his finger inside of her, but he just pulled it back and wagged it at her, "Ah-ah-ah." He put the tip of his finger in his mouth and sucked her juices off of it. "Mmmmmmm…" he moaned. "You taste even better than I remember," he whispered. She was pouting at him now, and he smiled to himself. "What's wrong, Sweetums?"

She groaned, "Ugghhhh… Steeeeeeeeve…"

"What do you want me to do, Laura?"

"Eat my pussy," she begged. " _Please_!"

"Oh, such a _naughty_ word, Laura Lee," he teased.

" _Pleas_ e, Steve. Please, just do it. I want to _come_. It's been _so_ long since I've come for anybody _. Please_ ," she whispered, her voice strained, "make me come."

He used two fingers to trace her entrance again. "Tell me you love me."

"I love you, Steve. I never stopped loving you. I love you _so_ much."

He thrust his two fingers inside of her, and they slid in with almost no resistance because she was so wet.

She gasped loudly and moaned as his fingers started to move in and out of her quickly, wasting no time.

"I love you, too, Laura," he said in between the kisses he planted on her mound, moving closer and closer to her clit. "I love you with all of my heart, and I always will."

"Ohhhhh, _Steeeeeeeve_ …" she moaned. "Lick it, Baby, please!"

He licked her clit once with his tongue flat before he took it into his mouth and began to suck.

She bucked her hips against his face and moaned, "Don't stop, Steve. Please, don't stop until I _come_."

He didn't. He sucked, and he sucked just like he did the first time, using his fingers to stimulate her insides while he sucked on her clit. He wanted to lap at her juices, but he didn't dare stop sucking. Occasionally, she would reach down to move his face slightly or press down firmer, giving him all the direction he needed to get her where she needed to go. Eventually, she started to buck her hips faster, and her legs wrapped tightly around his face.

His ears covered by her thighs, he barely heard her as she started to moan, "Oh, Steve. Don't stop, Honey. I'm almost there. I'm gonna come for you."

He kept sucking and fingering her as he felt her womanhood clench around him and heard her moan softly. He felt her juices leak down, flowing onto his fingers and then onto his leather couch, not that he minded. He watched her body intently as she finished but was disappointed he couldn't see her face.

When her legs relaxed, she pulled him off of her and led him back up to her face. "I'm sorry, Steve, it's just too sensitive right now."

"So, you climaxed?" he asked shyly.

She nodded and kissed him, not minding her own flavor this time.

He pulled back and smiled at her. "I made you come?" he asked.

She giggled, "Yes, Steve."

"Thank you, Laura," he whispered as he kissed her neck. "Thank you. Thank you. _Thank you_."

"No, Steve, thank _you_. I'm the one who came," she laughed.

He shook his head and looked at her. "You don't have to thank me for that. I loved that. I will happily do that anytime."

"I may take you up on that," she warned.

"I hope you do," he whispered kissing her again.

Laura relaxed and let him kiss her. She felt her muscles relaxing and her energy dropping. She really was tired. There was a part of her that just wanted to cuddle up with him and fall asleep, but then she felt his bare member at her entrance.

"Laura, are you ready?"

"Mmmm…" she whispered. "You forgot something," she said sitting up and reaching for the box on the table.

He pulled back, and she opened one. She pulled it out and slipped it on for him. He shuddered when her hands wrapped around him and rolled the condom over his member. "Laaaauraaaaa," he moaned.

She lay back down on the couch and pulled him back over her. He kissed her, and she said, "If I didn't know any better, Steve Urkel, I may think you almost forgot that on purpose."

He blushed and said honestly, "I would never do that, Laura."

"I know. Just a little warning."

He lined himself up at her entrance again, and he leaned close to her, so their noses brushed against each other. "I'm not gonna last very long this time, Sweetums."

"That's ok, Steve."  
"Can we do it more than once tonight?" he asked shyly.

"Do you think you'll be able to?"

"I _know_ I will," he assured her.

"Then, yes," she answered, pulling him down for a kiss.

"I love you, Laura Lee."

"I love you, too, Steve."

He moved his head inside her, and they both moaned. He resisted his every urge to thrust deeper because she was still so tight. Laura's eyes closed, and he kissed her. "Eyes open, Pet." Her eyes opened and met his. He noticed that she looked worried. "I won't hurt you, Sweetheart. Remember? Don't worry."

She nodded, "I trust you."

His eyes grew even softer. She trusted him? She trusted him _again_? "You _do_?" he asked his voice breaking.

She nodded and smiled gently.

He beamed brightly and kissed her. He pulled back and asked, "Can you fit more? I need to put more inside of you."

She nodded, "Yes, Steve. I'm ready."

He moved more of himself in, inch by inch. He couldn't believe she was still so tight for him.

She had forgotten how big he was. She had forgotten she could feel so full. She felt his balls rest against her when all of him was inside, and she was breathing heavily, though she never broke eye contact. She waited for him to say it. She could tell he wanted to.

"That's all of me, Pet. I'm all the way _inside_ of you," he whispered rapidly. She kissed him, and he moaned, "Mmmmmm…"

"You feel so good, Steve. You're so _big_."

"You're so _tight_ ," he growled.

Her face flushed, and she kissed him again. "I love you, Steve."

"I love you, too, Laura," he said with a grunt as he pulled out slightly and slammed back in. The next time he pulled almost all the way out and then slammed back in.

She grunted, "Unh."

"You like that, Sweetums?" he asked as he started to pump in and out of her rhythmically.

"Yes," she answered when he was all the way inside her again.

He moved in and out of her faster, already feeling that warm pinch in his gut. He wanted to last longer, but he hadn't been with her in so long that he just couldn't wait. With no warning and having only been inside her for a long minute, he pushed himself all the way in and came with a loud moan, "LAAAUURRAAAAAA!"

Laura watched his face contort in pleasure, and she kissed him on the neck while he came. In that moment, she hated the condom that kept her from feeling his cream. She stroked his back as he finished. He buried his head in her neck, breathing raggedly, as he recovered. He pulled out of her and sat up. He slipped the condom off and tossed it on the floor. He turned back to Laura and rubbed her thighs for a minute, "Do you want to try a different position?"

She smiled at him and sat up beside him, "Whenever you're ready."

She put her hand on his soft manhood, hoping to encourage him. She stroked him gently as they kissed.

His hands played with her breasts. He paused to whisper, "Do you want me to eat your pussy while we wait?"

She licked her lips. "Oh, _naughty_ word, Steeeeeve…" She kept stroking him.

"I'm sorry, Laura Lee," he cooed jokingly.

"Will you tell me when you're hard again?" she asked.

"Of course," he promised.

"Make me come again, Steve," she begged. She moved to lie back down, but he stopped her.

He turned her so that she was on all fours, facing away from him. He lay down on his back and slipped his head between her knees.

"What are you doing?" she asked. She knew the answer, but she was surprised that he was already finding new ways to eat her.

He pulled her hips down so she could rest on his face. He slipped his glasses off and started to lick her all over, moaning at her delicious flavor, "Mmmmmmm…"

She happily grinded against him and started to bounce a little when his tongue started to thrust in and out of her. "Oh, God! Steve!"

He could barely breathe as she smothered him with her pussy and drowned him in her juices, but he didn't mind at all.

With her having so much control, it wasn't long before she was begging him not to stop again. "Oh, _don't_ stop. _Don't_ stop. _Don't_ stop," she begged as she bounced on his face.

He didn't understand why she felt she needed to beg him for that. He wasn't one to stop until she made him.

She was so close. She could feel the heat boiling in her stomach. She couldn't believe Steve Urkel was making her come again already.

Suddenly, Steve noticed her flowing more quickly into his mouth. She was coming. He just knew it. "Mmmmm…"  
" _Steeeeeeeeeeeve_ ," she moaned softly as she shuddered.

He loved the way she moaned his name. He could feel then that he was rock hard for her. It was time.

When she stopped shaking, she climbed off of him. He sat up to take her, but she pulled him into a long, deep kiss. "Thank you, Steve. Thank you so much," she whispered against his mouth.

"You're welcome, Sweetums. Thank you for coming on my face," he purred.

"Mmmm…" she purred back, "I did. You made me come all _over_ your face. Thank you _so_ much, Baby."

"I'm hard again, Pet. Are you ready for more?"  
"Oh, God, yes," she agreed. "How do you want me?"

He bit his lips, thinking of a hundred ways he wanted to take her. He couldn't decide. He slipped his glasses back on so could see her naked body clearly and asked, "How do you want it, Baby?"

She grinned wickedly and stood up. She pulled him over to the conference table and laid him down on top of it. She straddled him and hovered over his member.

He grinned up at her. The moonlight poured into the windows and shined on her gorgeous face and full breasts. He bit his lip as he felt her wetness against his head again. She paused to slip a new condom on him. Then he watched as she sunk down on his cock, taking all of him as she impaled herself. "Ohhh, Lauraaaaa…"

"Ooooooo…" she whined. She leaned forward to plant her hands on his chest. She started to bounce up and down, but only on the bottom couple of inches of his manhood.

He watched her breasts jiggle as she bounced on him, but he wanted more. "Laura, bounce higher, Baby, please." He started to thrust his hips to meet hers, and he gripped her hips to help her move.

With his help, she started to bounce higher, making each time he filled her up feel that much better to both of them. She started to moan his name over and over, "Steve. OH, Steve! Steeeve."

"That's it, my pet. Unh. Say my name. Oh! Yes! Say it," he grunted.

She bounced on him for several minutes, but eventually he had pulled her forward. He sucked on her nipples and thrust in and out of her uncontrollably.

She just lay on his chest moaning in ecstasy, her voice shaking with each thrust, "OooooOooooOooooHhhh…"

" .Laura," he grunted between sucks. He was getting close again, but he could feel her tightening, too. She had never come on him before. He tried to refocus his brain, shutting his eyes tightly so he didn't have to look at her sexy body while he worked to distract himself. He thrust harder and released her a little so that she could help him get her there.

"Oh, Steve," she cried. "I'm… I'm…"

He wanted to respond, to make her say more, but he had to stay focused. He couldn't think about her or look at her or listen very closely or it would be over. He kept sucking and thrusting, tuning her out to the best of his abilities. He wanted to hear it and see it, but more than that, he wanted her to experience it, so he put off his own needs… for the time being.

"Unnnhhh…" she whined.

She still wasn't there. He could feel that she was close as her womanhood pulsated on him, but she wasn't in ecstasy yet, and he didn't think he could last much longer. "Laura, _please_ , _come for me_ … I _can't_ … I'm gonna…" Suddenly, his body tightened, and he slammed her down on his cock more forcefully. His hot load shot into the condom, and he groaned loudly, "Ooohhhhh, Lauraaaaaa…"

She felt him thrust a few final times, but then he slowed to a stop. She pouted slightly, not having reached her destination, but she leaned forward to kiss him. It wasn't his fault. He just needed more practice. He was showing he had a lot of potential. She just worried she wouldn't be able to be the one to enjoy him when he honed his skills in the future. She put that thought out of her head, promising herself that she would enjoy their one night together, and leaned down to kiss him.

He moved before their lips met and pushed her off of him. He laid her down on the table, not even bothering to remove the condom as he stood on the ground in front of her, and planted his face in her womanhood. He immediately went to work on her clit, and she shuddered and moaned in surprise.

It wasn't long before her body fell back into the rhythm his orgasm had interrupted. She was approaching the point of no return again. She just needed a little more. "Curl your fingers," she ordered. He obeyed, and his thrusting fingers landed on her G-spot. "OOOH, YESSSS!"

"Do you like that?" he smiled.

"Mmmm… that's my G-spot, Steve. I love it. Don't stop."

His eyes widened. He had heard rumors, but he never thought he'd be able to find that so soon. He started to rub the spongey area more directly, still licking her clit.

" _Harder_ , Steve. I'm so _close_ ," she said softly. She felt his change in force and pressed his face down into her pussy, gripping the back of his head tightly. " _Oooooo_ …"

Her hips were hitting harder and harder against his face, and her hand felt like it was bruising the back of his head. He didn't mind a bit and he moaned happily as he lapped at her deliciousness, "Mmmmmm…"

She felt her body tighten in that familiar way, and heat shot to her every nerve. She pulled her thighs tightly against his face, trapping him and the pleasure he was giving her. He didn't stop for a second as she trembled and pulsed around his fingers. She called out softly, not aware enough to actually form words, "Ahhhhh…"

He felt her body relax and her legs release him. Knowing that her clitoris would be sensitive, he pulled his lips away and looked up at her, but he didn't stop rubbing her G-spot.

She wiggled for him, "Oh, Steve. That was so good." She reached to pull his hand away, but he used his free hand to pin her wrists to her stomach. He wasn't done with her yet. He was only giving her clit a break. He still wanted her to come again.

"Oh, Honey…" she moaned as he kept rubbing her warmth. "I came, Steve. You made me _come_ ," she whispered encouragingly, thinking he didn't realize she was done.

He climbed back up to her mouth and kissed her, releasing her wrists, but still stroking her spot rapidly. "I _know_ you did," he whispered against her lips.

She looked at him, confused, still too foggy with the pleasurable sensations he continued to inflict on her. Her arms wrapped around his neck.

"I want you to do it again," he said.

Now, _that_ she understood, and she smiled, perfectly happy to obey. She started to thrust her hips receptively as they kissed. He sucked on her nipples sending shivers down to her clit. "Mmmmm, Steve…"

Once he could tell she was excited again, he kissed his way down her body. She tried to push his head down, but he resisted and licked and sucked his way tantalizingly slowly down her petite form. He kissed and licked her clit again and listened carefully to her ever-changing sounds of ecstasy. He wanted to remember those sounds for the rest of his life. He followed his previous patterns almost exactly, and soon, her legs were compressing his skull again. He groaned happily as her juices oozed out onto the cherry wood table she lay on. "Mmmmm…"

She moaned his name as she came again, " _Steeeeeeve…_ "

When she released him, he lapped at her juices and tongue-fucked her as her muscles relaxed. As she came down off of Cloud Nine, he pulled his face away from her and kissed her lips. "I love you, Laura Lee," he whispered.

She stroked his face. "I love you, too. Thank you so much. Tonight has been even better than I imagined."

"Oh, for me, too, Sweetums."

He lifted her into his arms and brought her back to the couch. He pulled his condom off and placed her in his lap but not on his member. He just held her close while their breathing relaxed again. He watched her intently as she stared out at the river. Overcome with an impulsive urge, he whispered, "Marry me."

She whipped her head back to him, surprised and confused. "What? _No_."

"Well, you can take a moment to think about it, Sweetums," he offered, slightly offended.

She grew annoyed, "I was very clear about this being a one-night-only thing, Steve. My answer is _no_."  
"But, Laura, this has been incredible. I don't want it to ever end," he pleaded.

"I'm not ready for that, Steve."

"But you got through this, and you loved it, right? Maybe you're more ready than you think."

"I'm _not_ ready," she repeated, standing up. She began to gather her clothes.

He stood up behind her and pulled her back into his arms. "Hey, where are you going?"

She tried and failed to pull away from him. "I'm going home, Steve."

"You don't have to do that," he purred in her ear.

"I do if you're going to do this," she said firmly.

"I'm not doing anything, Laura. I asked a question. You said no. Fine. Let's not let it ruin our night," he whispered. " _Please_."

She let go of her clothes and turned back around to face him. "I'm trying, Steve. I promise, but I need time."

"I know," he said, wrapping his arms around her. "You've always needed time. I can wait, but the offer is always on the table, Laura. I'm going to ask occasionally."  
She nodded, "Ok, but I'm going to say no for now."

"I know," he said, kissing her softly.

She felt his member press into her stomach. She reached out to stroke it. "How can you be ready again?" she asked.

"I'm _always_ ready for you, Baby," he insisted confidently.

"Just _one_ more time, ok?"  
"You got it, Hot Stuff," he smiled, wiggling his eyebrows. He pulled her over to the couch and got her to kneel on it. He bent her forward so that she leaned over the back of it and her butt faced him. He put on another condom and rubbed his member over her big booty. He grabbed at her meaty cheeks and whispered, "Oh, Baby…" She tried to reach back to guide him in, but he pulled her hands away. "Don't rush me, Pet."

She rolled her eyes and pushed her butt up against him, wiggling slightly, "C'mon, Steve."

"Not yet," he whispered. "You have such a gorgeous booty, Laura Lee. It's so big, but so firm. Your curves are so irresistible," he purred.

She tried to push against him more, but he grabbed her hips and held her in place. " _Please_ , Steve."  
"I can't tell you how many times I stared at that big booty when you bent over my desk. Do you do that on purpose, Sweetheart? Do you like to tease me?"

"Sometimes…" she admitted.

"I knew it," he growled in her ear. His member lined up with her entrance. "You're not teasing me now, are you?"

"No," she breathed.

"You're giving me what I want, aren't you?"

"Yes."

He grinned and pressed himself into her, groaning loudly as she squeezed him tightly, "Unnnnhhhhhh…"

"Oooooo…"

He started to slide in and out of her slick tunnel tortuously slowly. "Now, who gets to tease?" he gritted through his teeth.

"Ooh, _youuuu_ …" she purred.

He laughed and snorted, "Yes, my pet. Yes, I do."

"Mmmmm…"

"You love it, don't you?"

"Yesssss…"

"You love _me_ , don't you?"

She laughed hard at his reference, and he felt her muscles tighten on him, "Yes, I doooo…"

"Heh. Do you want me to keep teasing you? Or do you want me to take you?" he whispered in her ear, reaching forward to squeeze and grip her breasts.

" _Take_ me, Steve," she said, shutting her eyes tightly to prepare for his fast thrusts.

"Are you _sure_?" he said as he held her.

" _Yes_ , Steve, _please_ ," she gritted softly.

"Ok, you asked for it," he whispered. He pulled himself out to the tip and slammed into her hard, pressing her into the back of the couch forcefully.

"Ah!"

He didn't stop. He pulled out and rammed into her over and over, knowing she was wet enough and hot enough for him to be rough. He grinned as he watched his manhood crash into her pussy over and over. He heard his hips slapping against her full ass, and he squeezed her breasts tighter. He said her name with each thrust, "Laura. Laura. Laura."

She just whined, "OoooOoooOooo…"

He reached his right hand down and rubbed her clitoris.

She moaned louder, "SteeeEeeeEeeeve…"  
"Yes, Laura. Yes, Laura. Yes, Laura." He could feel his balls tightening as they swung to hit her skin over and over again. He was hoping she'd come again, but he didn't have the energy to stave off his own orgasm anymore. "I'm almost there, Laura," he whispered breathlessly, "I'm almost there. I'm almost there."

She was breathing heavily, nowhere near as close as him, but completely satisfied. She was ready for him to come. She needed him to. " _Please_ , Steve! _Please, come_!" she yelled for him.

Her encouragement immediately sent him over the edge. "LAAAURAAAA WINSLOOOOOW!"

She smiled to herself as he collapsed gently on her back, completely spent. She still had a little control over him. He pulled out of her quickly and slipped off the condom, sitting back on the couch. She turned to him and started to suck on his softening manhood, licking his saltiness clean. She moaned, "Mmmmm…", and her head bobbed up and down in his lap.

He squirmed because he was still so sensitive, but he gently stroked her hair while she cleaned him. "Thank you, Laura Lee. Clean me off. Thank you, Sweetheart. I love you so much," he whispered over and over.

When he was clean, she moved her face back to his and kissed him, straddling him gently.

He broke their kiss. "You didn't finish that time," he said concerned.

She shook her head. "I finished enough tonight, Steve. I'm too tired now."

"But…"

"You were amazing and generous, and I love you so much, but I can't do anymore tonight, Baby. You wore me out."

"I _did_?" he asked proudly.

She nodded and kissed him again. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you more," he whispered back.

She giggled, and he squeezed her closer, stroking her bare back. She rested her face in his neck and closed her eyes. He shifted to lay down on the couch, pulling her on top of him.

She rested her head on his chest and kept her eyes closed. "I have to go home, Steve."

"No. Please, don't," he begged. " _Please_ , stay here. Let me hold you."

"No," she said, lifting her head to look at him. "I _have_ to go home."

"Not yet," he argued.

"If I don't go now, I'm not gonna go," she whispered, gazing at him longingly.

"Then _don't go_ , Sweetums," he begged again.

"I _have to_ , Steve. I'm _sorry_. I really wish I could stay."  
"Can I come with you?" he asked.

"No, I don't want anyone to see us."

He frowned at her.

"Well, would you want my parents to catch us in this position?" she demanded.

"No," he admitted, "I guess not."  
She pushed herself up and stood. He sat up and watched her silently as she picked up her clothes. She slipped her dress and her heels on, but couldn't find her panties. She handed Steve some of his clothes, and he began to dress. She spotted her lacy thong on the ground, but he beat her to it.

He held it high above her head. "Let me keep them," he demanded.

She scoffed at him, "No way!"

"Please, Laura. Just a little souvenir. I bought them, anyway."

"No, Steve," she rolled her eyes, "That's so weird."

" _Please_ ," he looked at her with a sincere desperation in his eyes that surprised her.

She thought for a moment but really couldn't find the harm in it. "Ok," she agreed uncomfortably, "but you better not show them to anyone else."

" _Never_ ," he promised, crossing his heart. He happily slipped them into his pocket and finished getting dressed. She tied his tie for him, and he pulled her in for a deep kiss. "I _love_ you," he whispered again.

"I love you, too," she responded again.

He never got sick of hearing that. "Do you want me to call Maven, or do you want to drive?"  
"I can drive, Steve. We've been here for a few hours. It's almost dawn, now. I really have to go," she insisted, pulling away.

He held on tight but started to walk with her as she grabbed her purse and headed toward the elevator. As they rode it down, he pushed her up against the wall forcefully and kissed her mercilessly.

"Mmmmm…" she moaned in his mouth. She wanted to let him take her again right in the elevator, but she decided to be responsible and head home.

When the doors dinged, he pulled away from her and walked her to her car. She unlocked the door, and he opened and closed it for her. She rolled down the window so she could still speak to him with the door closed.

He leaned into her window and asked, "Are you sure you're not too tired?"  
"I'm sure," she promised,

"Because I can get Maven here in fifteen minutes."  
"I'm fine, Steve."

He inhaled deeply and sighed heavily. "Ok."

"Tonight was amazing, Steve," she smiled. "I can't think of anyone I'd rather have been with my first time since my divorce. You are so generous and so loving. Thank you for being there for me."

He teared up a little and kissed her gently. "You're welcome, Sweetums. Tonight was the best night of my life. Thank you for letting me be your first since him… and your _first_."

She smiled and kissed him again. "I have to go, Steve," she said sadly.

He nodded and pulled out of her window. "Drive safely."

"I will," she promised.

"Call me when you get home?"

"You'll get home later. Why don't you call me?"

"Ok," he agreed. "You better be there."

"I'll talk to you in a little while, Steve." She put the car in reverse and backed up.

He sat motionless watching her drive away, and then he went back upstairs to call for a ride. He was exhausted, but he needed to get home quickly so he could make sure she was home safely.

Laura pulled into the driveway and slipped into the house as quietly as possible. It was only 5:15, so as long as her father didn't have to pee early in the morning, she should have been able to slip into bed unnoticed. She took off her heels and tiptoed up the stairs. When she was only two steps up, the phone rang.

 _Damn it! Why did I tell him to call?_

She sprinted to the phone and picked it up after only half a ring. She prayed she was quick enough.

"Hello?" she whispered.

"Laura Lee?" Steve asked, whispering back unnecessarily.

"Why are you whispering?"

He thought for a moment. "I don't know," he said in a normal volume. "You started it."

She stifled a laugh. "I'm trying not to wake up my family. I don't want everyone to know I'm just now getting in."

"Why not?" Steve asked with a little swagger. "Don't want them to know you got lucky last night?"

She rolled her eyes. "Hm. Do you want me to have to tell my father about what we were doing all night?" She smirked to herself as she waited through his long silence.

"No," he said softly.

"Why not?" she teased. "You don't think he'd want to hear about all the naughty things you did to his little girl?"

"You made your point, Pet."

"I could tell him about how I rode you on the conference table, and how you bent me over the couch, and how you kept my panties," she whispered flirtatiously.

She could hear him becoming embarrassed. "Let's just keep that between us, Laura."

She giggled softly, but was interrupted by someone clearing their throat behind her. She yelled, "Ahh!" and dropped the receiver as she spun around to find her mother standing behind her.

Harriette said, "Well, I wouldn't recommend telling your father any of that, but your mother is certainly curious."

Laura stared at her like a deer in headlights, but eventually, she brought the receiver back up to her ear.

"LAURA? LAURA, what's wrong?" Steve yelled frantically.

"I'm sorry. I thought I saw a mouse," she lied. "It was just a dust bunny."

"Oh, good," he breathed a sigh of relief. "Don't scare me like that, Sweetums."  
She looked back at her mother waiting behind her. "So you're home safe then?" she asked.

"Yes," he said, "and so are you?"

"Yes," she said. "I have to go to bed, though. I'm exhausted," she lied again. She was definitely beat, but she could tell from the look on her mother's face that she had a long while to wait before she'd be able to get some sleep. Still, she had to get off the phone without letting Steve know how busted they were. She didn't want him to worry about what the family was thinking of him any more than he already was. She figured she could convince her mother to keep it a secret, making it a very small and controlled problem that she saw no reason to notify him of.

"Ok, my love. Get some rest. Thank you so much for everything, Laura."

"Thank _you_ ," she said softly.

"I'll see you Monday, Laura Lee. I love you," he cooed.

She paused uncomfortably, not wanting to say it back in front of her mother. "Ditto," she replied awkwardly.

"Ditto?"  
"Goodnight," she said, hanging up the receiver before waiting for a response. She turned to her mother. "Hey, Mom! You look fabulous this morning."

"I look sleep deprived because a phone call woke me up early on a Saturday," she grumped, starting a pot of coffee.

"Sorry about that," Laura said, sitting down at the table, preparing herself for a long lecture.

Harriette leaned against the counter, not at all awake enough to say anything profound. "Girl, where have you been all night?"

"I was at the office," Laura said truthfully, averting her eyes, praying Harriette hadn't heard as much as she originally thought she had.

"Mm-hmm… That is where one would traditionally find a _conference table_ ," she glared.

Laura blushed. Ok, so she had heard every detail. "Mom, this is _really_ personal. Can we maybe not…?"

Harriette shook her head as Laura trailed off. "Laura Lee Winslow, what the heck were you thinking?"

Laura sighed, "I was thinking that I was with an amazing guy who really loves me, and I wanted to let him for once."

"How could you do that to that poor boy? You better be planning to marry him because if not, this is gonna kill him. His first time, Laura? Just for a fling?"

Laura realized that her exhaustion was clouding her judgment, but before she could stop herself, she said, "It wasn't his first time, Mom."

Harriette raised an eyebrow as Laura's eyes shot open wide. Laura clearly hadn't wanted to mention that. "I see," Harriette said, "Well, when was his first time? A couple of weeks ago? The day you quit? The day you asked for the job?"

A very cranky Laura was hurt by the insinuation. "Mom, I told you Steve and I weren't doing anything."

"Well, you can't say that anymore, can you?"

Laura scoffed. "Five years ago, Mom. His first time was five years ago."

"With who?" she asked in disbelief.

"With me!" she admitted a little too loudly. Catching her volume, she explained in a whisper, "Steve and I had sex after I _accepted_ his proposal. Then he left me, so I married Stefan instead, which is why I've been so _damn_ mad at him for years and why it felt so good to be back in his arms last night. It was like none of this had ever happened. It felt like we finally had a second chance." She realized she was sharing a little too much, but she couldn't stop herself as she came to realization after realization.

Harriette was shocked. Five years of lies were just ripped away from her, and she wasn't sure what to say.

Laura shyly looked up at her face to gauge her reaction. Seeing her look of disbelief, Laura stood. "Look, can we talk about this later? I've been up all night, and I want to catch a little sleep before the boys wake up."

Harriette snapped out of her frozen state. "No, Laura, Honey, sit down."

Laura looked back at her defensively and sat back down.

Harriette wasn't sure where to start. " _He_ left _you_?" she asked eventually.

"Yes," Laura confirmed quietly.

"Why?" Harriette demanded.

"H-he told me… He says it was because he didn't think he could give me the life I deserved. He wanted me to do the whole model-husband, big city thing, not be married to a poor grad student."

"That's what he says… but what do you think?"

Laura thought for a moment and remembered what she once said to him. "I think… I think that he was afraid that he wasn't going to be enough for me and that I was going to leave, which is kind of the same thing, except I think it was, at least subconsciously, a little more selfish."

"That makes sense," Harriette nodded, "but you said you had sex first?"

Laura blushed and looked away. "Yes, um… He was going to Russia, but I told him to stay. Then after I told him I wanted to marry him, he tried to leave again, but I kissed him and we went upstairs, and we… but then I woke up, and he was gone."

"He didn't say goodbye?" Harriette whispered.

Laura shook her head, wiping a tear away as the feeling rushed back to her. "He just left a note," she sniffled.

Harriette moved closer and put an arm around her, "Oh, Honey, I'm so sorry."

Laura wiped away more tears, but tried to stop crying. She took a deep breath, "No, it's fine. It was the worst thing that's ever happened to me, but I have the boys, right? So it was all worth it." She had to say it aloud to remind herself of that occasionally.

"That's right," Harriette smiled, rubbing her arm. "So, what happens now?"

Laura looked at her. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you and Steve had sex, so what happens next?"

Laura shook her head again. "Nothing. I'm still a mother first. I don't have time for a relationship right now. Last night was… It was amazing, but it can't happen again for a while."

"So you're going to break his heart?" Harriette accused.

"No, I… We talked about it before we did anything. He knows it was a one-time thing."

"Laura, you're giving Steve way too much credit. He can't separate his physical needs from his emotional ones like that."

"Mom, I was very clear… and I promised that he'd be my first call when I was really ready. That's all I can do for now."

"Laura, do you want to be with him again?"

"Yes, Mom. Very, very much," Laura said, feeling her stomach clench with desire.

"Then just do it, Honey. Being a mom doesn't mean you can't have a life," Harriette pushed.

"No, I can't right now. They're too young," Laura said, standing so she could escape this conversation before her mom convinced her of anything.

"No, it's better when they're young. They may even call him 'Dad', if you want. They certainly look enough like him."  
"Mom, I have to go to bed," Laura said uncomfortably, as she walked to the stairs. "I'm too tired to…"  
"Just think about it, Laura. Whatever you want to do, your father and I will help you do it."

"Thank you," Laura said, climbing two steps. She paused. "Mom, please, don't tell anyone what I said, ok?"

Harriette looked at her sad face with compassion. "Of course not, Laura." She paused and smiled slightly. "I'll just tell your father about Steve keeping your panties, and we'll leave it at that," she joked.

Laura covered her face in embarrassment. "Moooooom!"

"Goodnight, Laura."

"Goodnight, Mom," Laura replied as she climbed the rest of the way up the stairs. She went to her bedroom, trying to block out everything her mother had said. Dating wasn't an option for her right now. It just wasn't. Sure, being with Steve made her feel better than she had since long before the divorce, but new relationships, or _renewed_ relationships, always felt like that. She wasn't willing to put her boys through what could come after the butterflies went away. She couldn't do that to them again, so for now, no matter how hard it was to keep him at arm's length, it was the only choice. She climbed into bed without removing her makeup and fell fast asleep, trying her best to keep her thoughts of Steve under control.

When Steve heard the dial tone, he set the phone back down. He had already climbed into bed before calling her so he just turned to his side. He was hurt that she didn't say that she loved him, too, but he knew he couldn't be upset. He had promised that things would go back to normal after their night together, and now, it was up to him to follow through, but it already felt impossible. How was he supposed to look at her on Monday without thinking about how good she looked when she rode him? How could he hear her voice and not think about the way she moaned his name? How could he sit at the conference table and not think about the way her juices ran over it? That reminded him. He had to clean the office before maintenance got in there. He wouldn't mind if somebody saw some questionable stains or prints, but he figured Laura would want to keep their night a secret. He turned and set the alarm for just a couple of hours. Maintenance wouldn't go in to clean up after the party until later in the day, so if he took a quick nap, he could head back in and take care of it. He took her panties out of his pocket and clenched them tightly in his hand. He stroked the lacy fabric lightly as he drifted off to sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

When Laura pulled into her parking spot on Monday morning, her body relaxed the moment she saw Steve waiting for her. Part of her was relieved that he looked completely normal. He wasn't holding flowers or accompanied by a string quartet or down on one knee. He didn't even have a dopey, dreamy look on his face. Another part of her was relieved just to see him again. So far, he had kept his word. Except for his one phone call to make sure she got home, he hadn't bothered her all weekend. Things had gone back to normal, but there was a tiny part of her, a part that she wasn't completely aware of, that wanted him to chase her. She had hoped he would pursue her so relentlessly that she would eventually take the plunge, but he didn't. Because she didn't realize what all of her feelings meant, she basked happily in the warmth that came over her as she stepped out of the car and smiled at him.

Steve saw the look on her face and was surprised. She was the one who looked like the dummy in love today. He smirked to himself and walked up to her, taking her purse. "Good morning, my little love basket," he purred softly.

Laura's knees trembled, and she gripped her car door. So much for back to normal! Though, she only had herself to blame. He was acting like he had been for months, but she felt like a baby deer on new legs. "Hey, Steve," she croaked out, a little too late and a little too strenuously.

"How are you this morning, my sweet?" he asked.

"Good," she said quickly. "Good. Perfectly normal." _Shut up!_ she scolded herself.

Steve chuckled, not hard enough to snort. "That's good to hear, Sugar Lips." He watched happily as she reflexively licked her lips. He was glad to see he wasn't the only struggling to keep their special night out of mind this weekend. She wanted more. He could tell, but he wasn't sure how to get her to give in to the temptation. He stared at her for a moment, running his eyes up and down her body in her tight skirt suit. They stood in silence for a while, but he eventually asked, "Are you gonna get the kids?"

"Oh!" Laura exclaimed and turned to the backseat. She unbuckled Michael and handed the diaper bag to Steve. She pulled Elijah out in his carrier, and they started toward the elevator. They dropped the kids off without incident and headed up to the office.

As they stood alone in the elevator, on opposite sides, Laura felt her face flush. Steve stood to her left, confident and relaxed, but she felt like she was on fire. When she was with the family that weekend, it was easy to put thoughts of Steve out of her mind, but when she was alone in bed, that task became much more difficult. As she stood in the elevator with him now, it was impossible. He looked so calm, so normal. It was somehow making him even more attractive to her. She felt like he was playing hard-to-get, which was ridiculous, because, of course, he wasn't. He was very easy to _get_. He was just following her instructions. When the bell dinged, they walked into the office, and Laura practically ran to her desk.

Steve smiled to himself as he saw her attempt to bury herself in her work. He noticed that she fanned herself slightly and that she was breathing heavily. Maybe this wouldn't be as hard as he thought.

Their morning was relatively free, free enough for Laura to write thank-you notes to the heads of the companies that picked up Urkorp's latest product and for Steve to review plans for the next ones, but they had one important meeting before lunch. The interns set up the conference table, so Laura didn't actually have to enter his office until she brought in the executives. She took her usual place, near the head of the table, right next to Steve. As Steve walked over to take his seat, he shook hands with several of his executives, and his hand gently brushed Laura's shoulder. She shivered a little, but then she glared at him, unable to discern whether or not that was an accident.

Steve shot Laura a subtle, but flirtatious look. He wouldn't let on to it, but he was having as much trouble concentrating as she was. All he could think about was picking her up and taking her on the table again, but he played it cool, which was a newly developed skill for him.

Laura tried to pay attention, but all she could think about was how she was riding him on this very table only a couple of days before. She blushed as she began to feel like everyone in the room could see the memories playing through her head. She knew that was ridiculous, but it felt real to her in the moment. She unbuttoned her jacket, hoping to cool off a little.

Steve discreetly watched her every move. He could feel himself get hard as he watched her face flush as she opened her jacket. He had promised he would be a good boy, but how bad could it be to flirt a little when she so clearly wanted it?

As their meeting came to an end, Laura breathed a deep sigh of relief, until the lunch carts started rolling in and setting up. She forgot she had to have lunch with him all alone. She had said she wanted things back to normal, and this was their normal. If she made a fuss about it now, she would be the one breaking her rule. She tried to change plans casually. "Oh, Steve, I thought we could go out to lunch today."

Steve looked up at her. Oh, she did, did she? "Hmmm… That's a great idea, Pet, but they already made all this food. Why don't I make us reservations for tomorrow?"

"No!" Laura said more forcefully than she intended to. "Um, I just mean, why don't we just go today?"  
"And let all of this go to waste?"

"We can give it to the interns!"

"But they all brought lunches today. Do you want their food to go to waste?"

Laura was running out of ideas. "Well, no…"

"Sweetums, is there some reason you don't want to eat lunch with me in the office today?" he asked, feigning concern.

Laura watched as the servers filed out of the office. "No, of course not, Steve," she lied.

"Good!" Steve replied cheerily. He walked over to the door and locked it.

Laura swallowed hard. She felt his hand land on her lower back. He started to lead her to the table set up near the window. He pulled out her chair, and she sat, placing a napkin on her lap.

"I'm sorry we're inside today. It's just too hot to eat out on the balcony, don't you think, Sunshine?"

Laura nodded and started to eat her salad. She let him talk for a while, eating in silence.

Well, he had meant to tease her a bit but not to force her into muteness. After he talked to himself for a while, he set his fork down. "Hey," he said to get her attention.

She heard him, but she couldn't look up from her plate.

"Hey," he said again, "why am I getting the silent treatment?"

She glanced up at him shyly. That's not what she was trying to do at all. "You're not," she insisted in an awkward, fake-jolly voice.

He stared at her knowingly. "I thought we said 'back to normal', Laura."

She set her fork down, too. "We did, Steve," she sighed. "I'm sorry that I'm being so weird today. You've been perfect. I just…"

"Can't get your mind off of it?" he suggested.

She looked away again, blushing, and whispered, "Yeah."

"Neither can I, Laura Lee," he admitted, also in a whisper. "I've just been playing it cool for your benefit."

"I appreciate that, Steve."

"You shouldn't. I've been teasing you all day," he explained.

Her brow furrowed. "You have?"

"Absolutely!" he exclaimed. "I've been staring longer, speaking softer, brushing up against you." He sighed, "I know I promised I'd go back to normal, Laura. It's just been so hard…"

She looked at him understandingly. That still took a lot of self-control for Steve. He was acting very normal… in Urkel terms. She was grateful he had admitted to his treachery, because it explained some of her feelings today, but she couldn't fault him for it. He was driving her crazy, but he really was playing by her rules.

"…And _I've_ been so hard," he finished, meeting her gaze.

There went normal. Her eyes widened. "Steve…" she warned.

"I know. We're being normal, but… it's our lunch break, right? Maybe we can just be normal when we're working. Maybe we can be a little more _adventurous_ during lunch," he suggested.

"I don't think…" she began.

He stood and walked over to where she was sitting. He looked down at her eyes that locked on his. "Nobody can see us, remember? It will be our little secret, my love," he whispered.

She involuntarily glanced in front of her. She could see his erection through his tight dress pants, and she thought about the consequences of indulging. Her foggy brain couldn't come up with a single one, so she stood and jumped into his arms. She kissed him, and her legs wrapped around his hips.

He staggered backward slightly, but caught his balance and placed his big hands on her round butt to hold her up. He squeezed it as his tongue moved freely in her mouth.

She moaned into his mouth, "Mmmmm…"

He carried her over to the couch and sat down. When she felt herself land safely in his lap, she hiked her skirt all the way up. She started to grind into him, but he quickly started to tear at her clothes and toss them to the ground. First, he slipped off her blazer again. Then, he started to unbutton her blouse, exposing her bra. He threw that to the ground and flipped her onto her back. "There's no time for you to grind on me like that, Baby. I love it, don't get me wrong, but I have so many better things on my mind," he promised.

Her chest was heaving, and she stared into his fiery eyes. She started to pull at his clothes with the same passion, and they began to kiss again. She slipped off his jacket and undid his tie. She ripped his shirt open, not taking the time to unbutton it and started to stroke his chest.

He reached his hands back to unzip her skirt as he kissed her neck. She lifted her hips to help him slide it off. Free from the confine as he tossed her skirt onto the pile, she wrapped her toned legs around him, pulling his hips closer. She rubbed herself against him from below as he continued to suck her neck.

She reached down between them to undo his belt and pants. She slid them down along with his boxers. His sucking got stronger as she freed his member. He pulled away from her neck to look into her eyes. "I gave you a little love mark, my pet."  
She glared at him. "Steve!"

"You can cover it with makeup, Sweetums. That's what I did," he said pointing to his hickey from the weekend.

"Don't give me anymore hickeys without asking," she said firmly.

He leaned into her neck again and gently kissed the mark. "You didn't like it?" he whispered.

"It felt good, Steve, but we have to keep this a secret. Hickeys don't help with that."

"I don't want it to be a secret, anymore," he pouted.

"It's a secret or not at all," she said unbendingly.

He gave her a challenging look, but eventually, he stood up. For a moment, Laura thought he had chosen "not at all", but then his pants dropped all the way to the floor, and he slipped out of his shoes and socks. He stood before her, completely naked. He posed like Superman, and she sat up to admire him.

"I guess this will have to be out dirty, little secret for now, then, huh?"

"Oh, there's nothing little about it," she winked.

He sat back down on the couch, and she lay back again with her legs spread. He climbed between her legs, but he didn't get all the way on top of her. He knelt between her knees and gently stroked her thighs. "Are you wet, Laura?" he asked, not whispering at all.

She nodded.

He shook his head, "Uh-uh, my pet. You have to say it."

She looked him in the eyes, "Yes, Steve, I'm very wet," she purred.

"Did I get you wet?"

"You got me _so_ wet."

"Have you been wet for me all day?"

"Yes, Steve," she said more softly.

"Were you wet in the elevator?"

"Yes."

"Were you wet at your desk?"

"Yes."  
"Were you wet during our meeting?"

"Yes," she whined a little.

He bit his lip. "I was hard for you, too, Sweet Thang."

She smiled, smirking at that stupid pet name. "I love you."

He smiled, not saying anything in response, and just moved closer to her womanhood. "Do you want me to kiss it, Baby?"

"Yes, Steve! Please, kiss it!" The very thought of it made her hips buck up to him, but he pushed her back down.

He smiled wickedly and stood. "I want to do that for you, Delicious, but not here."

She looked up at him, concerned, but she followed him as he led her over to his desk. He sat in his chair, and he patted the area in front of him. She felt nervous, but he looked so determined and so sexy. She hopped up onto his desk and spread her legs again. He pressed his face hard against her center and inhaled. "Ahhhh… You smell so good."

She shuttered and wiggled against him a little. She could feel herself getting wetter.

He stood up, between her legs that hung off the desk slightly and looked down at her. "Show me what I want to see," he whispered, his eyes focused on her heaving breasts.

She undid her bra and threw it onto the floor. As her breasts were freed, they jiggled slightly.

He watched them bounce and groaned uncontrollably, "Oh, yessssss…"

She looked at his face and thought she might have the opportunity to steal some of her power back. "Do you like them, Steve?"

"Oh, yeah, my little vixen. They're perfect."

She lifted her hands up to her breasts and massaged them. She would occasionally squeeze them closer together or let go of them so they could bounce in front of him. "Mmmm… What do you want to do to them, Handsome?"

He bit his lip as he watched her. "I wanna squeeze 'em," he replied.

Laura giggled, "Ooo, I'd like that." He reached out, but she slapped his hand away. "What else?"

"I wanna suck on 'em," he said licking his lips.

"Ohhh, what else?"

He was running out of ideas. Well, he was running out of ideas he thought she'd want to hear. "I wanna put my face between them," he said.

"Yes, Steeeeve. What else?"

His mind went to dirtier and dirtier places. He swallowed hard. "I want to press them up against that one-way glass and take you."

Her eyes widened. "That's a naughty plan!"

He blushed.

"What else?" she asked staring suggestively.

He looked back into her eyes. "I want to make love to them."

She looked at him, her eyes filled with lust. "You want to titty-fuck me, Steve Urkel?"

He nodded.

"No," she said softly.

"What?"

"No," she said more forcefully.

"Well, we don't have to do that one," he said, mortified as his cheeks flushed.

"No, you can't do any of those things," she stated nonchalantly.

Panic filled his eyes.

"My boobs are off limits to you, today," she whispered, "but you're welcome to play with my pussy."

"What? But, Pet…"

"Those are the rules. Do you accept them?"

He looked down at her breasts and stared at her hard nipples. Now that they were off-limits, they seemed like her most important body parts. Eventually, he snapped out of it and kissed her. He stuck his hand in her panties and felt around her opening. "Oh, you're already _so_ wet for me," he smiled. She nodded and spread her legs further. He pushed them together so he could slip her panties off and expose her. He sat back in his desk chair and buried his face in her most private spot. He licked her hole and swallowed as much of her sweet nectar as he could. "Yummy," he cooed.

She giggled, but she also humped at his face.

He started to slide his tongue in and out of her, and he wet his fingers to use on her clit. He started to play with the little button, and his strong tongue slipped in and out of her.

"Steeeeeeve…" she moaned.

"You like that, Laura Lee?" he asked.

"Yes," she cooed. She felt his lips wrap around her hot clit, and she gasped as he began to suck on it hard. "OOOOOOOOOOHHHH, YEEESSSS…"

He slipped his fingers inside, and she pressed his face harder into her. He pumped in and out and in and out. From this angle, he could actually see her face as she propped herself up on her forearms to watch him pleasure her. He met her eyes, and he watched as they drifted shut. She was getting close. Her breathing was heavy, and she bit her lip hard, getting quiet. "Yes. Yes. Don't stop," she whispered, choking on her tightening muscles. "STEVE!"

He smiled as he watched her face twist in pleasure. She had never looked more beautiful than she did with her eyes tightly shut, her mouth hanging open, and her brow furrowed. He felt her muscles start to clamp down on and release his fingers, and he used his free hand to defiantly grab her breast. He squeezed her nipple, and the power of her orgasm increased.

"Oooooo, Steeeeeeeeeeeeeve," she purred as her ecstasy came to an end. "Oooo, Steeeeeve."

When he was sure she was done, he pulled his fingers out of her and sat up. He looked at her, both breathing heavily, and sucked on his fingers. "You taste so sweet, Laura Lee," he said when he pulled them out of his mouth, totally clean.

She smiled at him, still slightly dazed. "Thank you, Steve."

"No, thank you, my love," he said as he stroked her thighs and her hips. "I could eat you all day."

She looked down at him seriously. "Really?"

He was perplexed by her question and severe expression. "Well, maybe not all day. Eventually, I'd get a cramp, but I could go for a while!"

"No, I just mean… You're not just saying that? You really… like it?"

He raised his eyebrows. Who did this woman think she was dealing with? "Abso-tutle-utely!"

She grinned at him and shook her head. "Promise? Because you've been doing it a lot, and I don't want you to get sick of it and never want to do it again."

He stood, so he could lean over her, intimidatingly. "Laura Lee Winslow, I don't know how much clearer I can be. I love eating your womanhood. I love your taste, your smell, your noises. I love everything about it. Of course, my favorite thing is how it makes you feel, and I love you to pieces, so I'd be willing to do it even if I hated it, but it is a huge turn-on for me, too." He paused for a moment before remembering the phrasing of her question. "I _promise_."

Laura looked at him sadly. "I'm sorry, Steve. It's just Stefan was such a jerk about it. I really started to think guys just did that because women made them."

"Laura, I'm doing it for you, but I like it. I swear. Don't you like giving… head?"

"Yes," she said, looking down at his member hungrily. "I really do."

He smiled, thinking about what might come next. "Then relax and trust me, Sweetheart. He was a fool if he didn't like it, Pet, and even dumber if he wasn't willing to do it just to keep you satisfied." He reached a hand up to stroke her cheek.

She sat up straighter so she could kiss him, pulling him down with a hand on the back of his neck. His wet lips opened wide for her, and she reached down to stroke his manhood as they kissed.

When her hand wrapped around it, he groaned, "Ummmmm…"

When she started to slowly rub it, she felt his knees buckle, though he caught himself. She broke the kiss and looked deep into his eyes. "I'd go down on you, Steve…"

"Ooohhhh…"

"But you were a bad boy today," she said with an evil look.

"What?" he breathed as her hand continued to work him painfully slowly.

"I told you not to touch my breasts, but you did, so I can't reinforce that behavior."  
He looked at her like she was threatening to murder him. He couldn't imagine her leaving him like _this_.

"So, I guess you'll just have to settle for making love to me," she said casually.

He breathed a sigh of relief and moved closer. He pulled a condom out of his drawer and slipped it on. He lined himself up with her entrance and kissed her again. "Are you ready, my pet?"

She nodded. "Yes, Steve. I love you."

"I love you, too, Laura Lee. I always will." His member pushed inside of her, and he let out a low rumble. "Ohhhhh, Laura…"

"Mm."

He slipped himself all the way in. She was so ready for him, it was easy. He still filled her up, and she still winced a bit at the way he stretched her out, but he didn't have to work himself in and out over and over again. That is, until he wanted to. He pulled himself half way out and shoved himself back in.

"Oo," she said softly as he thrust back into her depths.

He smiled and looked into her eyes. "I love you, Laura," he said as he began to thrust his whole length in and out of her, rhythmically. His breathing increased steadily.

"I love you, tooooo," she gasped. "Oh, God!"

He leaned over her so that she was flat on her back on the desk and he could still kiss her with his feet still firmly on the floor.

She sucked on his lips, moaning over and over. "Mmmm…" Every time she opened her mouth to say something, his tongue pushed the thought away. He moved lower to kiss her neck again, expanding the size of her hickey. She wrapped her legs around him tightly and grunted with his every thrust. "Unh. Unh. Oh."

He moaned as he sucked, but then he pulled away and started to nibble on her neck. Between his love bites, he would grunt with her. "Um. Ugh, yes, yes, uh. Yeah." He sped up his pounding and his grunts.

She tried to tighten her legs around him, but he reached back and grabbed her calves. He spread her legs wide for him.

"OOOHH, Steve!" she gasped as he forced her legs apart as far as he could.

He was grateful for her cheerleader flexibility, though she wasn't quite as flexible as she used to be. He was hammering into her at an incredible pace, nearing his climax. He started to growl her name, "Laura. Laura. Laura. Laura."

"Faster! Please!" she panted.

He readily agreed and started to thrust faster and harder. "LauraLauraLauraLauraLauraLauraLaura."

"Yes, Steve. Yes! Don't stop. Don't stop. Unh. Unh. Oh!"

He leaned down and rumbled in her ear, "Say my name every time. Oh, God, Laura!"

"Steve. Steve. Steeeeve."  
His muscles tightened, and he held himself above her so he could stare at her beautiful face and bouncing breasts. Never closing his eyes, he came deep inside her. " _Laaurrraaaaa…_ "

As his thrusts slowed and he collapsed on top of her, she stroked his sweaty back. He stayed inside of her, just breathing. She said, "You have to pull out, Steve."  
"Never," he whispered.

"No, seriously. The condom. You have to pull out."

Realizing she was right, he removed himself from her body and pulled off the rubber. He tossed it into the trashcan next to him and sat back in his chair. He pulled her off the desk and onto his lap.

"Oo!" she said as she landed on him unexpectedly.

He immediately buried his face in her neck and continued to just breathe.

She caressed his chest and leaned her head against his.

He was the first to speak. "I am so madly, deeply in love with you, Laura Lee," he whispered.

"I know," she whispered back, kissing his head.

He pulled away and looked into her eyes. "You still love me, don't you?"

"Very, very much," she said, smiling sadly, "but you know this can't happen again for a while."

"Why not, Laura? What's the harm?"

She thought for a moment and looked down. "Because every time I feel you inside of me, I want to marry you, and every time you pull out and I remember why I can't, it hurts too much."

"You can, Laura!" he begged. "I will be such a good father to them. Please! Just give me a chance!"

"No, Steve, and you understood that an hour ago. Every time we do this, we both get hurt," she said, looking back into his eyes.

"Then stop hurting us, Laura. Just give in," he said exasperated. "I _love_ you, Sweetums. I'll never hurt you again or your children."

"Not yet, Steve," she said firmly. "I'll understand if you want to see other people, but if you still want to wait for me, then you'll have to wait longer. I'm not ready."

"I'll wait forever, you know?"

She looked deeply into his sad eyes and whispered, "I know." She pressed her lips softly against his.

As they're kiss became more passionate, he slipped his hand up to cup her breast. Rules be damned!

"Hey, what did I say?" she asked in her fake scolding voice.

He continued to knead her full breast and started to plant little kisses all over the other one. "Shhhh…" he said.

She leaned against him quietly as he played with her breasts. He started to suck on her nipple, and she began to moan softly. "Ohhhhh, Babyyy…" She wiggled in his lap as she felt him hardening again.

Suddenly, he pulled away from her breast and lifted her up to her knees. She straddled him on his chair, and he slipped a condom on. She sat down on his lap, guiding his member deep inside her. "Ohhhhhhh…" she whined.

He placed his hands on her hips to help her ride him. He helped lift her up and down as she bounced on him. He reached between them to rub her clit. Every once in a while, her breasts would bounce into his face. He watched happily as her face twisted in pleasure.

"Oh, Steve! YESSS!"

"You… You like… that… Lauraaaa?" he grunted between bounces.

"Yesssss," she cried.  
"Can you come on me, Sweetheart?"  
"OH! I want to. I want to so bad. OH! Give me that big cock!"

"Unnnggg…" he moaned as his orgasm started to rush toward him again. He shut his eyes tightly so he could distract himself from her pleasure. He wanted to feel her muscles clamp down on his member. He wanted her to finish on his lap. He wanted her to come at the same time as him, but he couldn't think about any of that. He pulled his mind away from the office and focused on other things. He thought about Urkorp's new invention, but that reminded him of the party just before he had made love to Laura. "Oh, Laura…" He tried to think of sports, but that just reminded him of the time he had played basketball, and Laura had cheered him on in her tight, little uniform. "Oh, God." He tried to think about math, but that just made him think of all the hours he had spent alone with Laura as a horny teenager, helping her study, when all he had really wanted to do was touch her. "Ohhhhh, Pet. I'm sorry, but I… Oh, LAURAAAAAAAA," he shouted as he came.

She looked down at him as he called out to her. She felt him twitching inside as he shot his load into the condom. She was a little disappointed that she didn't get to finish with him, but she continued to ride him hard and fast as he came. When he was completely done, she pulled off of him and sat back on his lap. She kissed his neck as he caressed her back.

"Oh, Laura," he whispered. "Thank you so much, my love."

"You're welcome, Steve."

"I'm sorry I didn't last long enough for you to… I'm trying, my pet. Really."

She pulled away from his neck and placed a hand under his chin. Her thumb stroked his cheek. "That's ok, Steve. You'll figure it out," she said kindly.

"Only if you let me practice, Sweetheart," he whined.

Her face softened. "Not now, Baby. I'm sorry. Just not now."

He pulled her back down so her head rested against his neck. He held her close in silence for a while. Then someone tried the door handle. Laura and Steve both shot to attention.

 _Knock, knock, knock._

Laura leaped out of the chair and pulled on her panties and bra. She could not be caught by the interns. They were finally starting to believe that she and Steve weren't secretly having sex, and now she had to ruin that by starting to secretly have sex with him. _C'mon, Laura!_ she scolded herself as she buttoned her blouse. _What the hell are you doing?_

Steve rushed to put on his boxers and pants, but found himself tripping all over the place. He hadn't even gotten both legs in by the time Laura was fully dressed and fixing her hair.

"Steve!" she scolded quietly.

"I'm trying, Pet!" he whispered back. She gathered his clothes and shoved them in his arms. She pointed him toward the bathroom. When he was safely inside she waited for a second knock. When the intern tried again, she walked over and opened it.

"Hey, Kelly," she said as she opened the door. "What's up?"

"Mr. Urkel has a phone call from one of the people on the Master List."

"Oh, he's in the bathroom. Who is it?"

"Carl Winslow?"

"What? My dad? Are you sure?"

"Well, I didn't know he was your dad, but I'm sure his name is Carl Winslow, so…"

"Ok," Laura said dismissively. "I'll talk to him until Steve's available. Thanks."

When Kelly stepped away, Laura closed the door and walked over to the phone on Steve's desk. She sat in one of the chairs in front of his desk, not wanting to talk to her father in the chair she just had screwed Steve in, and she picked up the phone and pressed the button for his line. "Daddy?"

"Laura? Oh, hey, Sweetheart. I was actually looking for Steve."

"I know," Laura said confused. "He's in the restroom, but he'll be out in a minute. Why do you want to talk to Steve?"

He sighed. "I thought he and I could get lunch."

"Really?" Laura said, sounding a little too happy.

"Yes," Carl said, picking up on the tone.

She tried to dial it back. "Why would you wanna have lunch with Steve? You're furious with him. When he came to our house for dinner, you abandoned your own home to avoid him."

"I know," Carl said grumpily. "Do you want to know the real reason?"

"Yeah?" Laura said, her face scrunching in confusion.

"Your mother mentioned that you might be developing feelings for him again, and I thought I should try to bury the hatchet in case I end up spending a lot of time with him again."

"Daddy, what exactly did she tell you?" Laura demanded, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Just what I said. She said, 'Laura might be developing feelings for Steve again.' Why?" he asked suspiciously. "What did you think she told me?"

Laura was relieved her secret was still safe, but she feigned outrage to make him think that her feelings were the big secret she was keeping from him. "I can't believe she told you that! I told her that in confidence!"

As she yelled into the phone, Steve came out of the bathroom and slipped behind her. "What's wrong, Pet?"

Laura looked up at him and waved dismissively, shaking her head. "Daddy, Steve just walked out, can you hold on a sec?"

"Sure, Sweetheart. I'll talk to you later."

"Bye, Daddy. Hold on."

She put him on hold and turned to Steve. "Nothing's wrong. My father wants to have lunch with you." She smiled slyly.

Steve gasped dramatically. "He does?"

Laura nodded, suppressing a huge grin.

"Why?"

Laura paused, not wanting him to know that her mother knew about them. She decided to tell half of the truth. "He says he's ready to bury the hatchet."

Steve gasped a second time. He threw himself into his chair and picked up the phone. His shaky hand hit the wrong line three times, until he finally got Carl. "Big Guy?" he asked.

Laura leaned forward and put it on speaker, taking the receiver from Steve and placing it back in its cradle.

"Hey, Steve," Carl said, uncomfortably.

"How've ya been?" Steve asked, his voice shaking.

"Let's not get into that right now," Carl replied sternly. "Do you want to have lunch tomorrow?"

"Absolutely!" Steve yelled.

"Ah, Steve. Not so loud," Carl barked. "How about that diner by the police station at noon?"

"Of course! Do you want to invite Laura or will it just be the guys?"

"Just the guys this time. We have a lot to talk about."

"We sure do, Big Guy. I can't wait."

"I'll see you there, Steve."

"See you there, Carl," Steve said smiling.

Immediately, the dial tone rang through the office, and Steve hung up. He grinned widely at Laura. "I have a lunch date with your father!"

She laughed and stood up. "You do." She took a seat on his lap, and he pulled her close again.

"Mmmm… Laura Lee, you can't just sit on me like this. It gives me mischievous ideas," he crooned.

She kissed him deeply and said, "I'm just so happy that you're gonna work stuff out with him."

"Me too."

She stood up and hiked her skirt up over her butt. She slid her panties off and stepped out of them. She leaned over his desk. "Just one more time, Baby?"

He shot out of his chair and dropped his pants. He slipped a condom on and slammed into her at full force. "UUNGH," he grunted loudly.

"AAHHH!" she screamed in surprised.

He pounded himself in and out of her. He pulled at her arms to stand her up straight. He pulled her away from the desk so he could get his hand in front of her and rub her clit. "Come on me this time, Laura. I can't take it anymore."

"Ohhhhhh, yessssss…" she moaned as her clit began to throb again. His rough rubbing sending her to the brink again.

"Please, come for me, Baby. Come all over me. I need it. I need to feel it," he whispered in her ear.

"I want to," she moaned. "I want it so bad. Please…"

"Come for me, Laura Lee," he ordered, rubbing her clit harder and faster as his hips slammed into her round ass over and over. He loved the slapping sound her soft flesh made every time he crashed into it. He grabbed her breast with his other hand, over her blouse and bra, and pinched her nipple. "Come on me," he growled right into her ear.

She was panting heavily and whimpering over and over. If she had been more aware, she would have been disgusted by the way she was begging him, but in the moment, it never crossed her mind. "Please, Steve. I love you. Please. Please. Please, please, please… Please… Pleeeeeeease…" she begged.

He felt his balls tightening. He wasn't gonna make it. _I'm such a loser_ , he thought to himself. _I have the hottest girl in the world begging me to make her come, and I can't even_ – His thoughts were interrupted as her tight walls clenched around him and squeezed him hard. They drew his cum out of him in a way he'd never felt before. She pulsed and shuddered around him, milking him of his essence. Her body tried its best to suck his cum up to her womb, only to be stopped by the rubber between them. His breath hitched, and he screamed as he shot his load into the condom, "LAURAAAAAA…"

Though he was too lost in his own pleasure to realize it, she was screaming, too. "OH, GOD. STEEEEEEVE. I'm coming. I'm coming on youuuuuuu… Steeeeeeve!" she moaned.

He continued to pump into her backside at full speed, until he was completely out of cum. Only then, as he rested against her, did he realize she was still trembling and moaning. He finally noticed she was coming, but he had missed most of it. He stared at her intently, rubbing her breast gently, as he held her up despite her shaking knees while she came down from ecstasy. He kissed her neck, having fully regained his senses, and he started to whisper to her, almost bragging. "That's it, my pet. Come for me. That's it. Good girl. I love you so much, Laura Lee. I love you."

As her breathing returned to normal, she pulled away from him. She slid her skirt back down and adjusted her shirt and bra where he had been pinching and twisting her still sensitive nipple. She turned back to him.

He grinned at her haughtily. "How did that feel, Baby?" he asked confidently, swaggering over to her and buckling his belt again.

She rolled her eyes, but suppressed a very real smile. "I have to get back to work, Steve."

"We haven't even eaten, Pet."

"Oh, I think I've been filled enough today," she winked, walking away from him.

He giggled at her double entendre, but then he noticed her panties on the ground. "Laura, wait!" he called, snatching them up.

She turned to him.

He dangled them in front of his face. "Don't you want these?"

She thought for a moment. "Keep them," she smiled as she slipped out the door. He quickly shoved them into his desk for safekeeping.


	10. Chapter 10

The next day, just before lunch, Laura slipped into Steve's office. "Hey," she said.

"Hey, there, Sugar Lips," he said, pleasantly surprised by her intrusion. "Did you realize it's almost lunchtime? Are you here for a little _adventure_?"

"No," she said decisively. "I told you that's not going to happen again."

"Yes, of course," Steve agreed insincerely.

"I'm just here to make sure you're ready for your lunch."

"I sure am, Sweetums. I couldn't be more excited. I'm a little nervous, but I'm cautiously optimistic."  
"Good. That's the right attitude. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Well, I can think of a few things you could do that might help me relax," he teased.

"Hey, what happened to your best behavior?" she scolded.

"But, Pet…"

"I mean it, Steve. Yesterday was an… unfortunate relapse, but we need to try to keep ourselves under control for a while."

"If you insist…"

"I do," she said firmly.

He nodded, slightly disappointed, but not surprised. "Then, there's really nothing you can do for me, Sweetheart. I have a couple of things to finish up here, and then I'm heading out. Just make sure you eat something, and be here when I get back because I will definitely want to talk to you."

She smiled sweetly. "Ok. I can handle that." She turned to leave but paused at the door. "Steve?"

"Yes, my pet?"

"Please, work this out. It's very important to me."

"To me, too, my sweet."

"Good, because if we ever… Well, I'll want his support."

"So will I, Laura Lee. You know I'll need his blessing."

She nodded and quickly walked out, before she changed her mind about helping him relax.

Steve arrived at the diner forty-five minutes early, not wanting to be tardy, and found a secluded booth in the back. He wanted them to have some privacy to really talk things out. He took a few deep breaths and tried to focus on the apology he had prepared, but soon, he found his mind trailing to his lady love.

When Carl walked in, a while later, he found Steve slack jawed and nearly drooling as he stared off into space. He cleared his throat to get his attention as he sidled up to the table. " _Ahem_."

"Oh!" Steve jumped, standing to greet him. "I didn't see you there." He extended his hand, but Carl ignored it and sat down. Steve accepted the defeat and sat back down in front of him.

"What were you thinking so hard about?" Carl asked, hoping he'd start to ramble about some invention for a few minutes to give him time to gather his thoughts.

Steve blushed, unable to explain to Carl where his naughty mind had wandered. "Oh… Uh... Nothing really," he lied.

 _So much for that plan._

"Uh… Carl," Steve began, "I think I need to start with an apology."

Carl shook his head. He had no desire to do the whole touchy-feely thing with Steve. He just needed to figure out how to share a civil meal with him, and that meant burying his feelings and biting his tongue, not baring his soul. "That's not necessary, Steve," he lied.

"Oh, it darn well is," Steve insisted. "Carl, if I had any idea how much my leaving would hurt you, I never would've–"  
"Steve," Carl interrupted, "I really don't want to do this. Let's just talk about something else."

"But, Carl, you're the most important man in the world to me. I can't bear the thought of hurting your feelings."

"You didn't hurt me, Steve!" Carl barked. "Just drop it."

"Carl, we're never gonna get anywhere if you're not honest about your feelings."

Carl stood abruptly. "Ok. No. I can't do this," he grumbled. "See you around, Steve," he called over his shoulder as he sped away.

Steve was shocked that he had managed to drive him away so quickly. That had to be a record, even for him. "But, Carl!" he yelled, sliding out of the booth. He ran after him, but when Carl reached his car, Steve couldn't very well chase that so he watched him drive away.

Laura waited expectantly for Steve to come back for hours. She had expected him back at one or two, but then three and four rolled around, and she started to worry. Maybe her father had snapped and finally killed him. She told herself to think positively. She imagined them spending the whole day together, both choosing to blow off work, because they missed each other so much. She called his cell phone a few times, but he didn't answer, so she spent the afternoon pushing his meetings. She tried her father, but he didn't answer either. By five o'clock, she found herself walking alone to the daycare center for the first time since Steve's meeting with Jenna. She picked up the kids, telling Michael that his Uncle Steve was out having fun with Grandpa, whether or not that was true, and she drove them home. When she pulled into the driveway, she saw her father's car and allowed herself to prepare for some more negative possibilities.

"Hi, Daddy. Hi, Mom," she said as she walked in and found her parents sitting at the kitchen table. Michael ran past her and started to his room. She took Eli into her arms and put him in his high chair. She started toward the fridge to pull out some baby food, hoping to feed him before she had to worry about dinner for Michael or herself. She started the interrogation as casually as she could. "How was your lunch with Steve, Daddy?"

Her mother turned to Carl abruptly. "Your _what_ with _who_?"

Carl's brow furrowed defensively. "You didn't talk to Steve?"

Laura walked back to them and took a seat beside Elijah. "No," she said, trying to keep her cool as she sensed his rising aggression. "He never came back to the office. Did you guys have fun?"  
"You had lunch with Steve?" Harriette asked Carl again. "And he never came back to the office?" she confirmed, twisting to face Laura. She closed her eyes and threw up her hands. "Oh, Lord! You finally snapped and killed that poor boy, didn't you?"  
Carl grumbled, "No, I didn't kill him. I just didn't have lunch with him."

"You stood him up?" Laura asked, scolding her father for his rude behavior. _No wonder Steve didn't come back. He's probably still waiting at the diner_ , she thought. She opened the baby food and started to spoon it into the gargling baby's mouth.

"No," Carl explained, "I showed up, and Steve annoyed me, so I left." He unsuccessfully tried to pass the blame.

Laura didn't stand for it. "He's always annoyed you. What made you storm out this time?"  
"He insisted on talking about his _feelings_ and _my_ feelings," he growled. "It was despicable."  
"You mean he actually wanted to work stuff out with you? The horror!" she rolled her eyes.

"Hey, you didn't have to sit through any of it."

"Oh, I did, too. He's apologized for leaving me a hundred times."  
Carl's head shot up. " _He_ apologized to _you_?"

Laura's eyes widened as her brain caught up with her mouth.

Harriette pursed her lips, knowing Laura's secret was too far out of the bag to be forced back in now.

Still, she tried to play it off. "Oh, well… Um. You know how Steve is. He apologizes for everything."

"Nuh-uh," Carl insisted. "You said _he_ apologized for leaving _you_. _He_ left _you_?"  
Laura thought for a long moment and sighed, "Yes."

"But you told us you dumped him. That's why he left!"

Laura cringed, knowing she had just made this harder for Steve. "I wanted to marry him, but he didn't think he was good enough for me, so he left," she explained simply. She hoped that that explanation would suffice because she certainly didn't want to add any more detail about that afternoon. She turned her attention back to Eli as Carl digested this new information.

"So you didn't even break his heart? And he still left? That little…" Carl stood up, knocking his chair over. "That ungrateful…" He mumbled insults under his breath.

Laura handed the baby food to her mother and stood to confront her father. "C'mon, Daddy. You're being ridiculous. If anyone has a right to be mad at Steve, it's me. If I can forgive him, you should, too."

"Well, you didn't feed him, shelter him, and clothe him for years! Do you know how much money I wasted on that creep only to have him break my daughter's heart and abandon us all?" Carl yelled.

"That was a long time ago, and if you had let him talk today, he would have apologized!" Laura yelled back, as their conversation quickly deteriorated.

"I didn't want to hear a stinkin' apology. All I want is to _un_ know that jerk."

"If we didn't know Steve, you would be dead. How many times did he save your life?"

"Twice, but how many times did he almost kill me?"  
Laura ignored his question. "We are better people for having known Steve Urkel, and you would think that you would know that after all this time."

"Well, that kind of thing is a lot easier to see when you're fawning all over somebody," Carl snarled.

Laura scoffed, "Oh, sue me! I have feelings for someone. At least, I have feelings! If you loved Steve half as much as you claim to, you would have forgiven him by now. If you really treated him like a son, you wouldn't be able to turn your back on him now when he's coming to you and admitting he messed up. You wouldn't do that to me, and you wouldn't do that to Eddie. You wouldn't do that to 3J. You're no father at all if you do that to Steve," she concluded, shaking her head.

Carl was speechless. She had a point. He claimed to be mad that Steve had ignored him after he had taken him into his family, but based on the way Carl had treated him lately, maybe that grievance was hypocritical. Maybe he had never treated Steve like one of his own.

Laura glared at him for a moment before realizing she wanted to be anywhere but in that kitchen. She had someone else who needed her anyway. "Michael?" she called up the stairs.

A few moments later, he ran down. "Yeah, Mom?"

She took him into her arms and smiled at him. "How would you like to go have dinner at Uncle Steve's house?"

"Yeah!" Michael cheered excitedly.

"Laura…" her mother warned.

Laura kissed Michael's cheek and set him down. "Why don't you go pick a couple of toys to bring and meet me back down here?"

"Ok!" he said, as he turned back to the stairs.

Laura turned back and grabbed the diaper bag, knowing she needed to fill it with a few things first.

"Laura…" her mother said again.

"I don't want to hear it, Mom. Steve had an awful day, and I need to check on him. He's not even answering his phone." She grabbed the bag and Eli and headed upstairs to pack what she needed.

Steve sat on his deck, watching the water move on the lake. He did everything he could to clear his head, but he kept replaying his lunch over and over again, trying to figure out what he could have done differently. Around six o'clock, he heard the doorbell ring, so he walked back inside. "Coming!" he called, though he was probably too far for his unexpected visitor or visitors to hear him. Without checking the security cameras or even the peephole, he threw the door wide open. He gasped dramatically. "Laura Lee! What are you doing here?"

She smiled at his shocked face. She was glad just to see him at all, actually. She watched as Michael ran up to him and threw his arms around his legs.

Steve looked down at his assailant and lifted him into his arms, only then noticing the kids. "Hey, Mikey! To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Huh?"

"Why are you here?"  
"Oh," he nodded, then understanding the question. "Mama said we could come over and have dinner with you tonight. Is that ok?"

"That's more than ok," Steve beamed at Laura. "Your mom knows that you all are welcome here anytime."

She smiled back at him and held up the pizza in her hand.

"Oh!" Steve said, reaching out to take it from her. "Let me get that, Sweetums." He walked inside, holding the door for Laura to follow with Eli. "I know the perfect spot for us to have dinner. Michael, have you ever been on a boat?"

"No!" Michael answered excitedly.

"Well, how does pizza on my boat sound?"

"You have your own boat? Cool!"

Laura followed Steve out to the deck and down to his private stretch of the beach. He walked onto his yacht and set Michael and the pizza down. He turned to Laura and took Eli before offering her a hand to help her aboard. "There," he said as they had all made it safely aboard. He left a hand on her back for a long moment after she was on the boat. He smiled at her, grateful for the unexpected appearance. Eventually conscious of Michael's presence, he turned and led them to a little seating area that was now facing the rest of the lake. He helped get the kids situated and said, "Ok, I'll go grab some stuff from inside the cabin, and we'll be good to go."

"I'd offer to help you, but we're on a boat, so…" she explained, gesturing to the boys as she took a seat.

"Aye-aye!" Steve agreed. "Safety first!"

When he returned with some plates, napkins, non-alcoholic drinks, and dessert, he focused all of his attention on Michael. He sometimes had a hard time figuring out what he was and wasn't allowed to say to Laura, especially in front of Michael, and especially when she was sending him confusing signals like showing up at his house unexpectedly. He settled for talking to the toddler and stealing long, conspicuous glances at Laura when he thought he was being subtle.

She let him and Michael chat, because she couldn't talk about what she really wanted to talk about until they were alone. She could have come alone, but she really wanted to cheer Steve up, not indulge in temptation. She thought some family time would do the trick and let her feel like she was still somewhat in control of her life.

When the pizza and dessert was gone, Steve decided he had to do something to find a little alone time with Laura. "Hey, Mikey," he said cheerily, "do you like to go to the movies?"

"Yeah!" he cheered.

"Do you know I have a movie theater right here in my house?"

"Cool!"

"Do you guys want to watch a movie?"

"Can we, Mommy?" Michael asked, turning to Laura.

"Of course, we can, Sweetheart!" she smiled, thinking she too was relieved that she and Steve might have a minute to talk but in controlled circumstances.

Steve led them both inside and to his private theater. He and Michael picked a movie while Laura put Eli down for the night in one of the guestrooms. She thought it was odd that Steve had a fully stocked nursery set up, but it wasn't odd for Steve, so she let it go without saying anything. When she returned, the movie was ready to start. Steve hit play and turned to Michael. "Hey, Bud, I'm gonna go get us some popcorn and movie snacks, ok?"  
"Ok," he agreed, paying little attention to the grown-up talking over a cartoon.

"Laura," Steve asked, "could you give me a hand with that?"

"Sure," she nodded knowingly. She followed him out to the kitchen and watched as he pulled out a popcorn machine. She shouldn't have been surprised that his popcorn wouldn't come from the microwave.

"So," he began as the popping started, "what are you really doing here?"  
"You didn't come back to work today," she answered. "You didn't even call."

"I know, Laura Lee. I'm sorry," he apologized, stepping toward her. "I was just so upset after that awful lunch…"

"You should have answered my calls, Steve. I was worried about you."

"I didn't know what to say. I blew it, Laura. I had one chance to win him over again, and I messed it all up."

"No, you didn't, Steve. He did. He was the one who wouldn't listen. That's not your fault," she said firmly, taking his hand.

He squeezed her hand back and moved even closer. "Thank you, Sweetums. I'm glad you're here. I really am bummed. I thought I was going to fix everything today."

"Well, being here is the least I could do," she admitted. "I made everything worse for you tonight."

"How?"

"I accidentally told my dad that _you_ were the one who dumped _me_. Now, he thinks you're even more selfish and ungrateful."

"Oh, great!" he moaned.

"I'm sorry, Steve."

"Oh, it's not your fault, my sweet. I don't expect you to lie to anyone for me. I _did_ leave you. I _am_ selfish and ungrateful."

She stepped into him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "No, you're not." As he leaned his face down to her, she rested her forehead against his. "You made a big mistake, Steve, but you're sorry about it. You tried to apologize to him. That's all you can do for now."

He kept his arms at his sides, not feeling worthy of her embrace, "I hurt him so much, Laura… and you…. and everyone."

"I've already forgiven you, Steve. My mom's forgiven you. 3J has, too. Michael and Eli adore you. You're getting there, Steve, and… I'm going to be there for you in the meantime," she assured him.

"Really?" he asked, his voice breaking slightly.

"Yes, maybe not always in the way you want me to be, but… I love you, Steve Urkel. I'm here for you."

He bravely placed his hands on her hips and drew her nearer. "I love you too, Laura Lee, and I'm here for you too. Whatever you need."  
Her face flushed as she felt his erection poking into her stomach where he pressed his pelvis against her. She pulled away gently, wanting to maintain some friendly distance, but wanting to remain clear about her affections. She cleared her throat, " _Ahem_. So, did Family Night cheer you up at all?"

He smiled brightly, accepting that he wasn't going to get her into any compromising positions with her son only a few rooms away. "So much. You three really are welcome anytime."

"I knew we would be."

He scooped some of the popcorn out and grabbed a few other snacks from the pantry, including some more suited to his bizarre tastes. He had never understood the popcorn at the movies phenomenon. He led Laura back into his private theater, and she sat between Michael and Steve. He got brave about halfway through _Finding Nemo_ and placed a hand on her thigh. He waited for her to object, but when she didn't he began to stroke it gently up and down. He heard her sigh deeply and took that as approval. He continued his gentle touch through the end of the film.

As the lights turned on automatically, he pulled his hand away, not wanting Michael to see anything suspicious. He turned to Laura and Michael. Michael was leaning against her, his eyes drifting shut. Steve decided to be brave again. "I have a few free guestrooms if you want to spend the night." He tried to make it sound innocent, but he hoped it was clear to Laura what he was really offering her.

It was. She looked back at Michael, who really was tired. She was tired, too. She didn't want to have to drive that far, but that didn't necessarily mean she was ready to stay here.

Always able to read her mind, Steve suggested against his every instinct, "Or I could have Maven drive you home."

Laura smiled at his pleading eyes. He was still sweet enough to offer her other options even when the desperation was pouring off of him. Oh, her pity would take her far. "What do you think, Mikey? Do you want to spend the night at Uncle Steve's?"

He sat up energetically, renewed by the prospect. "Yeah!"

Steve smiled, relieved that she seemed to be taking the bait, though he was careful not to make any assumptions.

"Ok, well, then how about we go find you a room, Baby?" Laura asked. "You look exhausted."

He nodded and wrapped his arms around her neck. She lifted him up and followed Steve, carrying her bags, as he led the way upstairs.

"Um… Do you want a room you can share or… two separate rooms?"

"He's a big boy. He'll be fine in his own room."

"Ok," Steve nodded, opening the door to a playroom filled with toys and two twin beds.

Michael's eyes widened. "Whoa."

"You can play with some of this stuff another time. You have to go to sleep for now, Mikey."

Michael wanted to argue, but he was exhausted. Laura laid him in the twin bed and helped him undress. She got him comfortable and tucked him in. She and Steve both kissed him on the cheek before tiptoeing out of the room and turning off the lights.

"So," he whispered, turning to her, "we just need to find a room for you now."

She smiled at his chivalry, "I appreciate that, Steve, but I told you that I'm here for you, so I think I should be here for you… all night."

He swallowed nervously. "In my bed?"

She nodded, giggling at his sudden bashfulness.

He grabbed her hand and led her to the master bedroom at the end of the hall. He opened the double doors to reveal a huge master suite. There was a California king-sized bed, a seating area, a big screen TV, and a gorgeous view from the balcony. She could see that it tiered off into an enormous bathroom and two different walk-in closets. He closed the doors behind them and locked them. He swaggered over to her confidently, thinking again that he had a chance. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. He pulled her butt back into his aching manhood. "Mmmm…" he moaned. "I've been dreaming about getting you in here for so long."

"This is just a onetime thing, Steve," she insisted.

"You keep saying that," he teased.

"I mean it. You had a bad day. You shouldn't be alone tonight."

"Every day I'm without you is a bad day, my love."

"Well, today was worse," she whispered.

He leaned close and smelled her neck, enjoying her warm, sweet scent. "I wanted to fix everything for us today, Laura. I'm sorry."

"Stop saying that, Steve," she insisted, relaxing back against him. "Fixing things with my dad wouldn't have changed anything anyway."

"It would've been a good start," Steve whined.

"Well," Laura said, turning around to press her front to his, "if you had fixed everything, I wouldn't have brought the boys over tonight, and we wouldn't be here, so maybe there was a reason your lunch went sour."  
"You don't believe in that kind of stuff… That we're _fated_ to be together."

"No, but you do."

"Oh, I _know_ we're meant to be together, Laura Lee. That's why you can't stay away from me… or stay mad at me."

"I have to admit," she whispered, "I never feel completely in control when I'm with you."

"Really?" he smiled.

"Really. It would be so much easier if I could just… But I can't. I just can't stop myself sometimes."

"Like tonight?"

She sighed. "Yes, like tonight. I didn't plan to spend the night here." She pulled out of his arms and moved to sit on the edge of his bed. "My plan was to have dinner, watch a movie, and go home. Then you invited us, and I still wasn't going to stay, but then you offered to have Maven drive us home, and I just couldn't believe that you would suggest an alternative like that that would leave you all alone."

"Well, you looked tired. I didn't want you driving even if you weren't staying here."

"I know you didn't, Steve, because you're not _selfish_ at all."

He smiled softly and took a seat next to her. "Oh, I'm a little selfish. You made it clear that you didn't want to make love again anytime soon, and I still orchestrated all of this," he said, gesturing around him.

"Hey, did you make my father ditch you?"  
"Well, no."

"Did you invite me over tonight?"

"No, but–"

"Did you force me to sleep in your room?"

"No," he agreed.

"Then you didn't orchestrate anything. You just got lucky." She leaned closer to his ear and whispered, "Very, very lucky."

He shivered slightly as her hot breath tickled his ear. "I-I-I-I should be more respectful of your requests."

Laura shook her head. "You aren't making me do anything I don't want to do, Steve. You're very respectful. I'm the one who keeps… crossing the line."

"It's not my line, Laura. You haven't crossed any lines on my end," he encouraged, taking her hand between his and turning to look into her eyes.

"I know. It's my line and even I can't follow it."

"Maybe it's too strict," he suggested, stroking the back of her hand.

"Maybe," she agreed. "Tonight was so… You were so good with Michael."

He smiled. "He's a good kid." He paused for a moment and then said, "He is the _best_ kid. You're an incredible mother, Laura Lee."

"Thank you, Steve, but it's hard sometimes," she admitted. "Lately, I've been thinking a lot about how much easier it would be if I had someone by my side."

He took the hint and leaned his head down to her neck. He started to kiss it and suck on it, placing one hand on the bed to support himself and the other on her tiny waist. "I'm by your side, Pet. I'm always by your side," he whispered.

"Mmmmm…" she moaned as he kissed her. She wrapped her arms around him, placing one hand on the back of his head to pull him closer and using the other to stroke his back. "I knooooooow…"

"I love you so much," he said between kisses.

"I love you too, Steve," she whispered.

He pushed her back on the bed and lay on top of her, continuing to kiss her neck. As he kissed and sucked, some of her makeup wiped away, revealing her hickey from the day before. He smiled to himself as he rediscovered his love mark. He sat up and moved further up the bed. He waved her over and watched her intently as she lay back on the pillows. When she was comfortable, he climbed between her legs. He pushed her skirt up so her legs had more room to move. He lay down on top of her, lining up their intimate areas, and he started to grind, his suit pants rubbing against her only panty-clad womanhood. He grunted softly as he rubbed himself against her, trying so hard to feel her through his layers of clothing. "Mm. Oh. Ohh. Uh. Mm."

She closed her eyes and enjoyed his movements, having much less fabric concealing her sensitive areas. "Ohhhhhhh," she moaned softly. "Oh, Steeeeeve…" Her hips started to work with his, grinding her womanhood into his groin.

Still feeling too far away from her, he started to rub against her harder, the springs in the bed squeaking as he found his fast, powerful rhythm. "Oh, Laura. Oh, my love…" he grunted, slamming against her over and over.

"Ohhhh, Steve…" she purred, reaching up to unbutton his shirt. He had already ditched his coat and tie after work, so as she unbuttoned his dress shirt, his chest was completely exposed to her. She ripped it from his shoulders exposing his muscular chest. Her hands trailed up and down his abs as he continued to dry hump her.

"Ughhhhh," he groaned and quickly rolled off of her.

She turned to him and sat up, confused and concerned.

"We're not teenagers, Laura," he grumbled, standing from the bed. He unbuckled his belt and dropped his pants to the floor. "I don't want to grind. I want to make love."

She nodded, not saying anything as she watched him undress. When he was completely naked, she watched him climb under the covers and sit up to look at her. She got suddenly nervous when she saw the look of passion in his eye. Sure, he had been passionate the previous times they had made love, but something about the twinkle in his eye looked different. He looked like he was finally done begging for scraps. She swallowed the lump in her throat and stood up. She unbuttoned her blouse and slipped off her tank top. She unzipped her skirt and stepped out of her heels. Wearing only her bra and panties, she moved to get into bed.

"No," he said firmly, grabbing her wrist so she couldn't pull back the sheet. "Everything off first."

She obeyed and unhooked her bra. She slipped it from her shoulders and looked down at him. She watched his eyes devour her newly exposed breasts. Then she hooked her thumbs into her panties and pulled them to the ground. Completely nude, he moved to allow her to slip under the bedding. She turned to face him.

He slid closer and kissed her deeply. He pushed her back and climbed on top of her. He pulled away from her lips, looking at her intently. "I just want to be clear, Laura," he whispered. "We're done with all of this, right? You're going to stop pushing me away?"

She looked away. Why did he always insist on labeling everything?

He put a hand under her chin and turned her eyes back to his. "I don't want to play games anymore, Laura."

She stared at him in silence.

He leaned down and kissed her neck again, their chests brushing together. He moved up to suck on her earlobe. He whispered in her ear, "I just want to love you. I want to be there for you. I want to make love to you. I want to hold you at night. I want to be a daddy. I want your kids to call me dad. I want to get you pregnant. I want you to be mine. You're mine, aren't you? Tell me your mine. Say it. I need to hear it. Tell me you're ready to be mine." He tried to fill the silence with sweet nothings, but his cool, confident insistence was starting to turn back to begging the longer she ignored him. His hands wandered her body, touching her everywhere, but not really stimulating any part of her. His hands just claimed every part of her as his own.

She didn't know what to say as she listened to his rant. A part of her wanted to give in, especially because she could see how her resistance was torturing him, but she still didn't feel ready to take any plunges. Maybe she could just… dip her toe in the water. "One date," she said, eventually.

He sat up and looked at her. "What?"

"One real date. That's all I can agree to for now."

He smiled down at her confidently. "Oh, that's plenty, my pet." He kissed her deeply and started to trail kisses down her body. His head slipped below the covers, and he found his way between her legs in the dark. He descended to devour her hot, wet pussy, rewarding her for giving in. He sucked on her clit and fingered her hard and fast.

She moaned and writhed beneath him, humping his face and squeezing his head tightly between her strong thighs. "OHHHHH, STEEEEEVE! OH, BABY! MAKE ME COME!" she shouted to him, demanding that he satisfy her.

He happily obliged, moving faster, sucking harder, reaching a free hand up to her sensitive nipple. A long while later, he felt her convulsing around him and heard her moaning his name in ecstasy.

"STEEEEEVE," she moaned over and over. "STEEEEEEEVE… STEEEEEVE… STEEEVE…" As her body relaxed, her legs released his head, and she looked down at him as he came up from under the covers.

"Did you like that, Babycakes?"

"You know I did," she sighed.

"You like it when I eat your pussy, don't you?"

"Mmmm," she moaned. "I love it."

"What do you love?"

"I love it when you eat my pussy."

He slipped two fingers inside of her again, just enjoying teasing her.

She gasped, "OHHH!"

"Are you gonna let me eat your pussy on our date?"

She nodded adamantly but didn't say anything.

He pulled out his fingers and spanked her big booty… hard. **SMACK**.

"OH!"

"Say it," he ordered.

"I'm gonna let you eat my pussy on our date," she said quickly.

"Good girl," he whispered. "What else am I gonna do to your little pussy on our date?" he asked, rubbing her clit with his wet thumb.

"Ooooo," she moaned. "Oh, you're gonna do whatever you want to it!"

He smiled. "Oh, really? Whatever I want?"

She nodded and confirmed, "Whatever you want." She paused for a moment before telling him what he wanted to hear. "My pussy is all yours, Steve."

He groaned loudly and thrust his fingers in and out of her. "OHHHHHH!" he growled low while he watched her swallow his fingers again and again. "Oh, it's mine!"

"Yesssss…"

"You're mine!"

"YESSSSSS!"

"Say it!" he demanded. "Say it, Laura! Say it right now!"

"I'm yours!" she called.

He ripped his fingers from her and shoved his cock deep inside of her. "OH, GOD! LAURAAAAAAAAA!" he yelled as he began to thrust into her savagely. He pounded into her hard and fast, giving her no time to adjust to his size.

She yelled out with his every thrust, "OH! OH, GOD! OH, STEVE!" Her calls got faster and louder as he did. His hand moved down to play with her clit as he slammed into her again and again. She felt her body react immediately, approaching another orgasm. "OHHH, DON'T STOP!"

His bed was squeaking wildly over the next several minutes as he took her the way he needed to, the way that showed her there was no one else for them. They were meant to be. "I'M GONNA COME! I'M GONNA COME! I'M GONNA COME IN YOUR PUSSY!" he yelled as his balls tightened, and he passed the point of no return.

"STEVE. STEVE, YES! COME IN MY PUSSY!" she encouraged, her head free of any doubt about him. She was always surest they could make it work when he was inside of her. When he was inside of her, she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. When he was inside of her, she wanted to satisfy his every desire. When he was inside of her, she wanted to give him the baby he wanted. _Baby? Wait_. "WAIT. STEVE. NO!"

"LAURAAAAAA!" he yelled as he pinned her hips down and shot his load deep in her tight womanhood.

Despite her objection, the sudden force of his orgasm in her deepest parts, along with the forceful stimulation of her button, sent her over the edge with him. "OH, STEEEEEEEVE!" she called out as her walls milked him of his cream and drew it deeper and deeper inside of her. "Oh, Steeeeeeeeeve!" she purred. "Oh, Steeeeve…"

"OH, LAURA. OH, LAURA, LAURA, LAURA," he groaned again and again as hips continued to thrust into her forcefully as he finished. When his last drop had poured into her, he collapsed on top of her and held her close as she continued to shutter.

"Oh, Steeeeve… Steeeeve… Steeeve…"

"That's it," he purred. "Good girl," he whispered. "Give me that pussy. Come all over me."

As she came down from the clouds, her brain started to work again, and she realized what a huge mistake they had just made. "Oh, my God! Get off of me!" she yelled. She pushed against his chest, but he didn't budge. "Get off of me!" she yelled again, pushing harder and pounding on his chest.

The moment his brain registered what she was saying, he pulled out of her and rolled to the other side of the bed. He put his hands above his head like he was being accused of a crime. "WHAT? Laura! What is it? What's wrong?"

She jumped out of bed, hoping some of it would drip out of her. She ran quickly to the bathroom, praying that by some miracle she could clean him right out of her.

Steve watched her run from him and jumped when she slammed the door. _Great! Now, what did I do?_ He waited as patiently as he could, running over the moment in his head again and again. He couldn't figure out what had made her freak. She seemed to be enjoying it one moment and then… what?

She opened the door quickly, now wearing his bathrobe. She stormed over to him, her eyes filled with fury. "DID YOU DO THAT ON PURPOSE?" she screamed, wagging a finger at him.

"Did I do what?" he asked, confused and terrified that he had somehow destroyed his every chance with her.

"Did you _forget_ the condom on purpose?" she snarled.

Steve's eyes widened, and his jaw dropped. _The condom? The condom!_ He was supposed to wear a condom. _Wuh-oh._ He started to shake his head over and over and over.

She continued to glower at him, waiting for a real, spoken response.

"N-n-no, L-l-l-Laura L-Lee. I s-s-s-swear," he stuttered.

She stared at him, unblinking, hoping to figure out if he was lying. She eventually concluded he wasn't. If she could forget, being the person who would have the most consequences to deal with, how could she not believe he could have forgotten, too? She pressed a hand to her forehead and returned to the other side of the bed. She sat down on top of the covers and leaned against the headboard. She looked at Steve, who was staring at her intently, and she punched him as hard as she could in the arm.

"OW!" he yelped, recoiling only slightly.

"I can't believe we forgot the condom," she growled.

Steve gently rubbed his arm where she hit it and moved closer to her. "I'm sorry, Laura. It was an accident, I swear."

She nodded, holding back her stinging tears. "It's not your fault," she croaked. "It's both our responsibilities."

"Do you think… I mean… Do you know if… Are you going to get pregnant?" he asked, trying to hide a small smile.

She shrugged, "I'm not sure."

"Well, are you ovulating?"

"I don't know, Steve!" she sighed, exasperated. How carefully did he expect her to study her cycle?

"Well, when was your last period?"

"Steve…" she whined uncomfortably.

"We can make love, but I can't ask you a simple question about your cycle?" he demanded.

She rolled her eyes. "About two weeks ago."

"You could be ovulating then," he nodded.

"Not helping," she scolded.

"And even if you're not yet, sperm can survive inside of you for 3-5 days."

She turned to him, shocked that he would try to make this worse, and she punched his arm again. "NOT HELPING," she roared.

"OW! I just want you to have all the facts, Laura," he rubbed his arm again, waiting for it to bruise.

"I don't want facts like that!" she groaned. "I want facts that show how very unlikely it is that I'll get pregnant. Pick and choose your facts wisely, Steve, or I _will_ hit you again."

"Duly noted," he replied. He watched her for a long moment as she stared into space. "Would it really be so bad?" he asked eventually.

She turned quickly to glare at him.

"I just mean… Would it be so bad to have a baby with a man that you love, who loves you, and who has more than enough means to take care of you and all three kids? Would that be the end of the world for you?"

"We're not having this conversation until we know there's a reason to have this conversation. They make pills for this kind of thing. I'll just stop on the way to work tomorrow."

"Please don't," he said quickly. "Please."

She turned to him, more confused than angry. "Why not? You're a scientist, Steve. I know you don't think the morning after pill is… the abortion pill. I know you know how it works. Plus, aren't you…?"

"I believe only a woman can decide what she does with her body," he nodded, "but that doesn't mean I want you to…"

"So, only women you're not having sex with can have control over their own bodies? I know you were having fun with that possessive question and answer while we were… but I thought that was just a little dirty talk."

"Oh, it was, Pet. That's all it was. I swear. I will support you no matter what decisions you make about our little mistake tonight. I know your… womanhood isn't mine to take. You don't belong to me. I know that. I just… I don't want you to take the pill because I want to have a baby with you, Laura… and I think there's a part of you that wants that, too. Don't make this decision because you're scared. Really think about it and figure out what's best for you."

She moved closer to him and lay on his chest. She wrapped an arm around him. "I am scared, Steve," she whispered.

"You have nothing to be afraid of, Sweetheart. I'm going to take care of you. I will always protect you."

She paused for a long time and then said, "I love you."

"I love you too."

She sat up and untied his robe that she was wearing. She slipped it from her shoulders and tossed it on the ground. She looked down at him, her body exposed. "You do have condoms here, don't you?"

He nodded vehemently and reached into the nightstand. He held the box up and showed it to her.

"Good," she smiled seductively, crawling closer to him, "because I was hoping we'd be able to make love more than once tonight, but I certainly don't want to increase my chances of…" She trailed off, choking on the words to describe such a concerning possibility. She grabbed the box and pulled one out. She unwrapped it and slipped it onto his rapidly hardening member. She rubbed him gently, hoping to hurry the process along. She leaned close to his lips and kissed him. She felt his hands grab and squeeze her breasts. "It's not that I don't think you'd be a good dad or a good husband, Steve," she said softly.

He looked up at her, waiting for her to elaborate.

"I know you'd be amazing, but I'm just not ready to… I'm just not ready, Steve."

He continued to stare.

"I'm going to take the pill tomorrow," she said, kissing him softly. "I'm sorry if that bothers you."

He placed a hand on her back and rubbed it comfortingly. "That's ok, Sweetheart. I just want you to do what's best for _you_. If you're sure, I'll support you."

"I'm sure," she said firmly.

He smiled at her. "But maybe someday?"

"Maybe someday," she agreed before mounting him.

They made love several more times that night, all fully-protected. Laura fell asleep in his arms, and Steve barely slept at all, afraid to miss a moment of her in his bed. He was disappointed that he wasn't going to become a father anytime soon, but he had renewed hope for their love. She was coming around, faster than the last time, too. All he had to do was be patient. Plus, the waiting game was way more fun this time around being that he seemed to spend half of it in bed with her. As he stared at her, he tried to plan that one real date that she promised him, and he prayed that she wouldn't go back on her word.

At the Winslow house, however, things weren't quite as peaceful. Carl had spent the night upset with Laura after their fight. Harriette was sitting up, wondering if she was going to come home at all that night, or at least call. As time ticked by, Carl went from being mad about their fight to being mad that she would spend the night with Steve Urkel and take her kids with her. "This is irresponsible, Harriette!" he yelled, pacing around the living room.

"It's not her best moment, but those boys love Steve. Michael was probably more excited than Steve was about the sleepover," she reasoned, trying to convince herself. She sat on the couch and tried to follow Carl's pacing, but it was making her dizzy, so she turned away from him.

"You can't bring your children on a one-night stand," he grumbled.

"It's not a one-night stand, Carl. I told you she's falling in love with him again, which is why you were supposed to work all of your issues out so that she wouldn't just pick up and leave to be with him one day. I've lost that boy once, and I don't want to do it again. Losing Laura would kill me."

"We're not going to lose her, Harriette. Maybe she'll be with him for a while, but then one day, he'll up and leave her like he left her before. Once a leaver, always a leaver!" he declared.

"It's, 'Once a cheater'…" she corrected.

"Oh, they both work."  
"Carl, Steve Urkel is not going anywhere. He only left her the first time because he didn't think he could compete with Stefan. Now, he doesn't have to!"

 **.Knock.**

"Who could that be at this hour?" Harriette asked.

Carl shrugged and stomped over to the door. He peeked outside. "Ha! You're about to eat your words, Harriette," he gloated, opening the door to reveal Stefan. "Hey there, Stefan," Carl smiled, wiggling his eyebrows. He shook his hand but pulled him in for a hug.

"Hey, Carl," Stefan smiled his hypnotic smile. "How ya been, Man?"

"Not great, but I think things are about to get a whole lot better for me."  
"Glad to hear it!" Stefan stepped inside and moved over to Harriette. He leaned down to kiss her on the cheek, but she turned and stood, leaving him hanging with puckered lips.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

He grew immediately defensive. "Can't a man visit his kids?"

" _You_ can't. You surrendered your parental rights. You don't have any kids."

"That was a mistake," he grumbled.

"But you did it," she said firmly.

Carl glared at her. "Harriette, c'mon. Now, you're being ridiculous. He has a right to see his kids if he wants to… Well, he would if they were here."

"'If they were here?'" Stefan parroted. "Where are my kids?"

" _Laura's_ kids are out," Harriette said simply.

" _My_ 10 month-old and _my_ three year-old have taken up clubbing?"

Harriette was not amused. "No, they are with their mother who is staying at a friend's house because she had a fight _with her father_." She glared at Carl.

"What friend?" Stefan demanded.

Carl scoffed, "They're–"

"CARL, NO!" Harriette ordered. "That is none of his business."

Carl glared back at her. "It is, too, Harriette."

"That's enough, Carl. Can I see you in the kitchen?"

"They're at Steve's, aren't they?" Stefan interrupted.

Harriette turned to him. "How did you know that?"

"I saw Laura in an article about Steve. She's working for him now, so it wasn't a huge leap with you two being so cagey."

Harriette sighed, "Well, we don't even have the address, so you might as well just go and try again tomorrow… or not."

"Harriette, he can stay here," Carl said, growing tired of his wife's rudeness.

"That man is not staying in this house," she said firmly, "and if you fight me on that, Carl Winslow, neither will you."

"Now, I've had just about enough– "

"It's fine, Carl," Stefan interrupted, squeezing his shoulder. "I have a hotel room anyway. I'll see you guys tomorrow." He turned toward the door and slipped out while Harriette and Carl stared each other down.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Carl asked when the door closed.

"What's wrong with _me_?" she repeated. " _You_ were the one who wanted a wife beater sleeping on our couch, but if you gave him the couch, where would you sleep?"

"That's just distasteful, Harriette. He's not a wife beater. It was an ugly divorce, but– "

"I'm sorry," she said sarcastically, prowling closer to him, "I must be the only one who remembers Laura showing up at our door with a bruise covering half her face."

"That was an accident," he growled, refusing to believe he could have been so blind.

"You're a police officer. When did you become so stupid?"

"If he hit her, she would have told us."

"No," Harriette argued, "because then you would have killed him and gone to prison. If it were an accident, she would have explained it. She showed up at our door with no warning and a huge bruise on her face. She wouldn't tell us why their marriage was over or why she wouldn't go to counseling. She insisted that he surrender his parental rights and that the divorce go through as quickly as possible. Didn't you ever wonder why she wouldn't let us go to court with her?"

Carl shook his head over and over. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, but he also couldn't un-hear it. "Why didn't you ever say anything to me?" he growled.

"I didn't want you to go to jail, either, Honey!"

He stood and stormed out the door.

"Carl!" Harriette yelled after him. "Carl Winslow, get back here right now!" She sighed and sat on the couch, knowing Stefan had already driven away. She prayed Carl wouldn't find him.


	11. Chapter 11

The next morning, Laura woke up alone in Steve's bed, which surprised her. Then, it terrified her. She had woken up alone before, and it hadn't gone well. She tried to remind herself over and over that this was his house, and he couldn't just abandon her in his own home. She slipped over to the closest closet, hoping to find some pajama pants or something to go investigate, but instead found that it was full of women's clothes, all in her size. Sometimes, Steve's obsession was a little creepy. If she didn't know how harmless he was, she'd be counting down the days until he kidnapped her. She found a pair of pajamas after digging through an impressive amount of lingerie – he had good taste too – and she slipped them on. The soft fleece pants covered the pair of panties she had stolen from one of the drawers. She threw on the matching tank top and robe to cover the fact that she hadn't bothered to put on a bra yet. It was still early.

She walked out to the hall, and her heart began to pound in her ears. It all felt so familiar, except this time, she'd have to search a much bigger house to confirm that he was gone. She started down the stairs because she heard noises in the kitchen. Her heart slowed, and her face relaxed into a smile when she heard his voice echoing down the hall. She practically ran. She stepped quietly in the doorway and found Steve flipping pancakes, dropping half of them on the floor, while both her sons watched and giggled. She laughed lightly too, mostly out of relief.

He heard her sweet laugh, and it was like music to his ears. He smiled at her brightly. "Good morning, Sunshine," he called.

"Good morning, Steve," she smiled. She walked over to the boys and kissed them both on the forehead. "Morning, Babies," she cooed.

"Morning, Mama," Michael said, laughing as Steve threw another pancake to the floor.

"Darn!" he shouted, snapping his fingers.

Laura rolled her eyes and glanced at the clock. Maybe it wasn't as early as she thought. "Oh, man. I have to get in the shower," she said, standing.

"No, you don't, Mama! Uncle Steve said you guys don't have to go to work this morning."  
"We don't?" she said, turning to him.

"Nope," he said cheerily. "I'm the boss, and I say we can spend the whole day at home together!"

Laura raised her eyebrows at him. "Hm. You do, do you?"

He nodded and smiled.

"And you didn't think it would be a good idea to run that by me before you announced it to my kids?"

He furrowed his brow. "Relax, Laura. I'm giving you the day off. You should be grateful."

She scoffed at him in disbelief and glared.

 _Uh-oh._

Her face turned too sweet too quickly. "Steve," she said, her smile tense and far too big, "can I speak to you in the hallway for a moment?"

He swallowed. "Sure, my queen." He turned off the stove and dropped a few of the finished pancakes on Michael's plate. Steve followed Laura out to the hall.

"We're going to work today," she said firmly, reeling on him.

"But, Pet–"

"No, Steve. That's not what our relationship is. I'm not going to get paid to sleep with you. I don't want any special treatment. I don't want us to take days off to have family fun time, presumably followed by lots of sex. We're keeping things professional… at work, at least."

He furrowed his brow. "We had sex in the office three times two days ago."

She looked around nervously. "Ok, fine. So, we're not keeping it professional, but you're taking it too far."

"I'm having trouble figuring out the rules, Pet."

"Well, so am I! That's why I didn't want to do this in the first place," she said, throwing her hands up in frustration. "But we're going to work today! I know that much!" she called as she headed for the stairs.

"Ok…" Steve agreed to himself. "We're going to work."

With a time limit suddenly set on their morning, they rushed through breakfast and packed up everything they needed. Laura got the boys changed and in the car, wearing one of the outfits from Steve's closet, and she drove off. Steve followed close behind her, even when she pulled into the drugstore parking lot.

She got out of the car and turned to him as he was walking over. "Can you sit in the car with the boys for a minute? I don't want to haul them out of the car just to run in and out."

"Don't you want me to come in there with you? Don't you need support?"

"No, it's not a big deal, Steve. I'll be fine."

"Ok," he agreed, slipping into her driver's seat. "We'll be here."

She mumbled a thank you and ran inside. She found her way to the pharmacy and asked the pharmacist for what she needed. She also bought a bottle of water to help her swallow it. She stepped to the side and opened the box right there, not wanting to have to explain it to the kids. She looked at the pill in her hand for a full five minutes, trying to work up the nerve. Suddenly, she realized she couldn't do it. It wasn't that she wanted to have a baby. It certainly wasn't that she objected to the pill on moral grounds. It was just high dose of birth control, and she had taken that for years. So, why couldn't she do it? Was Steve right? Did a part of herself that she didn't know about want to have a baby with him? She tossed the pill back in the box and decided to save the introspection for later. She tossed it in the trash and walked back out.

Steve got out of the car when he saw her. "I was just about to come in after you," he said.

She smiled and moved to get into the driver's seat again.

"You ok?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said quickly.

He furrowed his brow. "Did you do it?"

"Yup," she lied.

"Mm-hmm," he nodded suspiciously. He looked at her tightly clenched jaw and decided to press her further only after she calmed down a bit. "Then, I guess, I'll see you at work," he said slowly, backing away.

"See ya!" she called, quickly sitting down, slamming the door, and pulling away.

Their day went pretty normally. Laura relaxed a bit when she really started to work, and Steve watched her carefully, trying to figure out why she had been so odd earlier.

It was almost lunchtime when things got weird. The elevator dinged, and Laura looked up. Her heart started to pound even harder than it had the night before. She saw Stefan walking toward her, and she started to scout for exits. She tried to tell herself it was unnecessary. He couldn't hurt her here, but she couldn't look at him anymore without feeling like she was in immediate danger. She stood, preparing to run.

"Hi, Laura," he said softly, leaning in to kiss her cheek.

She didn't move, but she cringed when his lips met her face. "How did you get up here?" she asked.

"I look like Steve. I just walked in. You can't say, 'Hi,' first?"

"What are you doing here?"

The interns were milling about behind her, but as they noticed Stefan, they stopped and stared, trying to figure out what was going on.

Stefan rolled his eyes. "C'mon, Laura. We were married for four years. Can you treat me like a human being?"

"You need to leave, Stefan. You're not welcome here," her voice was small, trying to conceal her secrets from the interns, but it was sharp and clear.

"I need to talk to you about something."

"What?" she said pointedly.

"Not here," he grumbled. "What the hell are you even doing here anyway? We couldn't make it work so you came running back to Steve?"

"Leave him out of this," she barked.

"I wish I could," he snapped back.

Suddenly, Steve burst through his office doors in a fury. He moved to confront Stefan, but Laura stepped between them, so he stopped in his tracks. He looked at her, upset that she would try to protect Stefan, and then he looked back at the intruder. "Get out of my office. I've already called security."

"Steve!" Laura scolded.

"Laura," Steve whined, "why are you trying to protect him?"

"Maybe she still loves me," Stefan answered smugly.

Steve lurched forward and stopped again when Laura put her hands on his shoulders.

Laura glanced at the interns. "All three of you, out." They didn't move. "Now!"

They scurried and took the elevator to another floor, disappointed to miss the action, but excited to speculate about what the heck was going on with Dr. Urkel's doppelgänger.

Laura turned to Stefan when they left. "That's not it, Stefan. I don't love you anymore. At all. You hit me, and that's unforgivable."  
"I barely touched you," he dismissed. "So, that's why you sent the Italian mob after me?" he accused.

 _Huh?_ That wasn't even remotely the kind of response she had expected. "Boy, are you jetlagged? What the hell are you talking about?"

Steve looked away, acting innocent.

"The goon that was waiting for me in my apartment. He beat me up and then told me never to touch you again. Why am I explaining this to you, anyway? You must have had something to do with it."

Laura stared at him, completely lost. "Stefan," she said as slowly and clearly as she could, "I don't have the slightest clue what you're talking about."

"Oh, c'mon, Laura–"

"It was me," Steve interrupted, not wanting her to take any heat for what he did.

"What?" Laura gasped, turning to hm.

"I was the one who sent that goon after you, Stefan, and I'll do it again if you ever give me reason to," he threatened.

Stefan rolled his eyes. "Oh, I'm so scared," he said sarcastically. He scoffed, "If you had any balls, you would've done it yourself."

"Laura doesn't seem to have any problem with my–" Steve stopped midsentence, catching himself as he turned his… romantic time with the love of his life into something gross and competitive.

His catch wasn't enough for her, however. "STEVE!" she yelled.

"I'm so sorry, Laura. That was in poor taste."

Laura continued to glare at him. She covered her chest, ashamed that Stefan knew their little secret.

"So, what is it, Steve?" Stefan asked as his suspicions were confirmed. "You put her on payroll just so you could fuck her brains out like the whore she is?"

That was it for Steve. Without missing a beat, he swung his arm back and punched Stefan right in the jaw. He recoiled and spat a tooth into his hand. Steve went for a second punch, but Laura grabbed his arm before he made contact again. He turned to her in surprise.

"That's enough, Steve!" she yelled. She released his arm and went to Stefan. She grabbed his arm and led him toward the elevator. "I'll be back after I get him cleaned up," she called to Steve as the door closed between them.

Steve stood alone in the office, staring at the elevator doors that had already closed. He didn't move again until the interns returned. When they walked in, he moved quickly to his office and slammed the door.

Laura led Stefan down to the health center Urkorp kept in the building. She stood patiently by his side while he was stitched, bandaged, and checked for concussions. He still had to see a dentist about his tooth, however. Neither of them said a word the whole time. When they were done, Laura gave him the name of her dentist and put him in a cab with a plan to meet at the house later. Then Laura returned to the health center and asked if they had any emergency contraception. She was so mad at Steve that she couldn't see straight, so she knew she'd be able to do what she hadn't been able to earlier. A nurse handed her the little box and a mini bottle of water. She ripped open the box and held the pill in her hand again. She tried to focus on the Steve she just saw, the Steve that terrified her. She focused on the Steve that told her that all men were the same, that anyone of them could be pushed to violence. She focused on the Steve that told her that there was no happy ending. She placed the pill in her mouth and immediately spat it back out. What was wrong with her? Why couldn't she just do it?

The nurse looked at her in confusion. "Having second thoughts, Honey?"

"No," Laura said firmly, holding the dissolving pill in her hand. "I don't want a baby."

"Well, then you have to swallow it."

Laura stared at the pill for another minute before tossing it in the trash and storming out.

She returned to the office to find the interns staring at her. She was in no mood. "WHAT?" she barked at them.

They all jumped, but eventually, Kelly said, "Is everything all right, Laura?"

She glared at them. "No! Obviously, not!" She left them staring at her as she stormed into Steve's office and slammed the door. She locked it immediately to keep out any and all eavesdroppers. "What the hell is wrong with you?" she barked at him as she stomped toward his desk.

For once in their relationship, Steve was just as ready for a fight. "What's wrong with me?" he repeated, standing from his chair. "Am I the one who walked off into the sunset with my abusive ex-husband?"

"'Into the sunset?' I took him to the doctor!"

Steve scoffed, "Oh, like he did after he beat you? Oh, wait. He just left you on the floor, didn't he? Damn it, Laura! Why didn't you let me kill that man?"  
"Because you're supposed to be the good one!" she shouted at him, her eyes stinging with tears.

"What?"

"Because he was the bad guy! He treated me like dirt, and he was angry all the time at the end, and he hit me, and I hate him for it! I hate him so much! But you're supposed to be the good one! The guy who could never hurt a fly! But you're just as angry. You're just as violent. You're just like him," she spat, tears streaming down her face.

"I am not!" he growled, tears streaming down his face, too. "I was protecting you!"

"No, you were getting vengeance. That's not the same thing!"

"He hurt you, Laura! He deserved it! You heard what he called you. Nobody gets to call you that!"

"Why? Because I'm yours?" she accused.

He gasped. "No," he said softly. "No, not at all. That was just a game, Pet."

"I'm not your pet, Steve. I'm a person."

"That's not what I mean!"

"I don't care what you mean anymore, Steve," she sobbed. "God, you're all the same. I never should have… Damn it!" She moved quickly toward the door, but he ran after her and blocked her exit.

"You can't leave, Laura. Not until we fix this."

"So, you're going to prove to me that you're not like him by holding me hostage?"

"No," he shook his head. "You're misunderstanding everything. I… I… I-I love you."

This time, she didn't say it back. He stepped aside, and she stormed out, heading straight to the daycare center for her kids.

She took the kids home. When Stefan showed up, she was forced to ignore her mother who was trying everything to start a fight with her. She was in no mood for her tough love. Her father still wasn't home, and based on the riot act her mother had read her, she wasn't looking forward to his return. She sat patiently in the living room, watching Stefan play with the boys. She had been worried that seeing him play the role of a father again might send her down the road to forgiving him, but it had the opposite effect. As she watched him play with her kids, she felt like she was watching her kids play with a bear. She stared intently, refusing to trust him. Her heart pounded in her ears, and she counted down the minutes until she could put Mikey and Eli safely into their beds and send that man packing.

Steve didn't move from the office for the rest of the night. He sat in his desk chair waiting for her to call, but she never did. Eventually, he gave in and dialed the house phone.

"Hello?"

Steve breathed a sigh of relief when he heard Harriette's voice. She was just about the only person in that house that wasn't mad at him. "Oh, Harriette. Thank God. It's Steve."

"Hey, Steve," she smiled, relieved to hear his voice. She certainly didn't want him to be out of the picture again, though he sure seemed to be as she peeked into the living room from the phone in the kitchen at the happy little family inside.

"Is Laura there?"

"Mm-hmm. Did you two have a fight?"

"Kind of," he mumbled. "Is it that obvious?"

"Yes, it is," she said, not wanting to explain that Stefan's presence was what made it so obvious.

"Is she ok?" he asked, feeling a rush of guilt over his caveman-like behavior.

"She's been better."

"Can I talk to her?"

"I'll check," she said. She popped her head out the kitchen door and into the living room. "Laura, it's for you."

"Who is it?" she asked, not wanting to take her eyes off of Stefan for a second when he was with her kids.

 _Damn._ Harriette was hoping she wouldn't ask that. "It's Steve."

That got Stefan's attention and aggression flashed in his eyes, though he tried to cool it like he used to be able to.

Laura caught the look in his eye and withered. "I don't want to talk to him," she lied. She swallowed hard, hoping to quell Stefan's rising frustration. It seemed to work for the moment.

Harriette nodded and pulled back into the kitchen. "I'm sorry, Steve."

"What did she say?" he asked, deflating as he was hit by even more guilt.

"She said she didn't want to talk to you. That was it."

Steve cleared his throat, trying to sound manly. "Ok, I'll try again another time."

"I hope you do," Harriette mumbled just before she heard the dial tone. In the same moment, she turned to see Carl walk in the backdoor. _Uh-oh_. "Carl," she said, "don't overreact."

That wasn't a good greeting. "What is it, Harriette?"

"Stefan's here. He and Laura are playing with the kids in the living room." Carl immediately moved toward the door, but Harriette blocked him. "You can't do anything to him in front of the kids. It will traumatize Michael."

"Then get them out of the room," he snarled.

"Laura's pretty insistent that he spend some time with them."

"She is? Since when?" he demanded.

"She and Steve fought this morning."

"So?"

"I think her tolerance of Stefan is related to the fact that the only other man she's ever really loved messed up somehow," she explained.

"Then I'll kill them both," he said, charging forward.

"NO!" Harriette barked. "We can't drive her away. We need to be here if things go sour. Just wait it out. The kids are going to bed in a few minutes."

Carl snarled but knew she was right. He had been getting everything wrong with Laura lately, and Harriette had been getting everything right. He sat at the table and listened carefully for any noise that was out of the ordinary.

Harriette did the same, holding his hand supportively.

A while later, Laura and Stefan tucked the kids in, and she walked him to the door. She watched as he honestly tried to swagger up to her, flashing her a smile. "It was so good to see you again, Baby."

She didn't have the energy to handle him, and with the kids in bed, she no longer felt the need to keep him sedated. "Get out, Stefan," she ordered flatly.

"What?" he scowled, taken aback by her sudden change of tone.

"Did I stutter? Out. Now."

"No, you did not," he admitted. "I'm just a little confused, Laura. A few minutes ago we were tucking in our babies, and you were talking so sweetly."

"Well, yeah. I'm not going to yell at my children's father in front of them. Look, I thought that maybe you could have some sort of relationship with them now, but I was wrong. Seeing you with them is still just as terrifying to me as it was the day I left. You will never see them again." She spoke as clearly and confidently as she could, but she was glad that her parents were eavesdropping in the kitchen. He couldn't hurt her again. Not here.

He clenched his jaw. "Laura, I swear to God… Can you just stop being a bitch for two minutes and let me talk to you?" He took a step closer, and she took five steps back.

"Stay away from me, Stefan."

"Why? Because you wanna run back to Steve?" he yelled. "Just because that loser has money now, he's so much better than me? It's good to see where your priorities lie. Hop from the aging model to the brand-new billionaire. Classy."

She rolled her eyes. After all this time, she wasn't going to protect his feelings anymore. "I chose him first, Stefan. I chose him over you, and he left me. And while we're airing dirty laundry, I also gave him my virginity. Not you."

"You're such a liar," he growled, not believing a word of her story.

"You can believe whatever you want. I don't care what you think. I'm done with you. Don't come back."

"They're my kids, Laura!" he yelled.

"Not legally, anymore! They're mine! _Only_ mine! You're not going to be a part of their lives."

He stepped closer again, but this time moved quicker so she couldn't pull away. He grabbed her shirt and yanked her close. He growled in her face, "I've had enough of this. If you're gonna treat me like a monster, I'm gonna act like one."

Laura's poker face fell, and her fear poured out of her eyes. Then instinct kicked in. Her knee flew sharply into his groin, and he released her in pain.

Carl flew into the room at the same time, ready to toss him to the curb, only to find his little girl had already put him on the floor. He saw Laura on the edge of a panic attack and decided to finish the job for her. He offered Stefan a hand to help him up, but then opened the door and shoved him out of it, slamming it in his face. He locked it and turned back to Laura. He watched as she deflated into tears, and he quickly pulled her into his arms. He rubbed her back and shushed her as she sobbed, "Shhhh, Sweetheart. Shhhh… He's gone. You got him."

Harriette walked in when she heard her sobbing and walked up to them. She wrapped her arms around Laura's other side, and they both held her as she dealt with her new, but hopefully last, encounter with him.

Soon, they sat and Laura poured her heart out to them. She told them everything about the first and only time he hit her. She told them everything that had been going on with Steve, from when he left her up to the current pregnancy scare. She told them everything that had happened that afternoon. When she was done, she rested her head against her mother's shoulder, and they sat with her in silence, not knowing what to say after all of that had been dragged into the open. The one thing they knew was that they didn't envy their little girl. She had far too much on her plate. No wonder she had finally snapped and let it all out.

 **Riiiiiiiiiing, riiiiiiiiiing.**

Carl stood and grabbed the phone in the living room. "Hello?"

"Carl?" Steve asked nervously on the other end.

"Steve?" Carl said. His mind flashed back to everything Laura had just told him. He started to do the math in his head to figure out whether or not Steve was a good guy in their books. He slept with her and left her, which was awful, but he thought he was doing it for her. He cut off all contact so she could get a fresh start, which was decent, though painful for all of them. He happily gave her a fantastic job when she needed it. He pursued her very respectfully. He did have sex with her, which made the Papa Bear instincts in Carl flare, but he realized that wasn't completely fair. He also punched Stefan so hard he knocked a tooth out. That was a big plus in the Steve column for Carl, but then he fought with her afterward. It was all too complicated for so late at night.

"I-is Laura there?" Steve whimpered.  
"She's here."

"Will she talk to me?" he asked sadly.

"I don't know, Steve." He turned to Laura and shrugged his shoulders.

She wiped the tears from her face and nodded. "I'll call him back on my cell," she said heading toward the stairs.

"Steve, she'll call you right back, ok?"

"Will she," he asked, "or is she just trying to get rid of me?"

"I'm just repeating what she said, Steve."

"Ok. Thanks, Carl," Steve said as he hung up the phone. He sat in tense silence waiting for her to call.

She tried the home phone first, but when he didn't answer, she realized he must not have left after their fight. She called the office, and he picked up on the first ring.

"Laura?" he said.

"Hi, Steve," she replied softly.

He breathed a huge sigh of relief when he heard her voice. At least, they were talking again. They could get through anything as long as they were still talking. "Oh, Sweetheart, I owe you the biggest apology. I was such a–"

"No, Steve," she interrupted. "I overreacted."

"No, you didn't, Pet," he paused, hearing his use of that nickname again. "I mean… I… Uh…"

"It's fine, Steve. I don't mind when you call me 'Pet'. I was just really upset today."

"Are you sure? Because I could pull that one out of rotation. It would take me some time, but I could get used to it," he said seriously.

"Yes," she smiled softly. "I'm sure. It's fine."

"I'm so sorry you saw all that today, Laura. I never wanted you to see that side of me, but I promise you, it only comes out to defend you. I would never hurt you."

She paused. "Stefan would have said the same thing years ago, Steve. That's what I meant about marriage. It does change people."

"No, Sweetums. I would never hurt you."

"Not now."

"Not ever!" he insisted.  
"I need to break-up with you, Steve," she said quickly, before she chickened out.

"What?" he breathed as all of the air was ripped from his lungs, and he felt like he was beginning to suffocate.  
"I love you, but I can't do this again. I thought I could handle it, but ever since we started going down this road, things have gotten more complicated and more difficult. I can't do it, anymore, Steve. I don't know if we were even together enough to require a break-up, but I want to be clear. I really just want to be friends again."

"But, Laura…"

"No but's, Steve."

"So, you're cancelling our date?"

"Yes," she said, surprised by how disappointed she felt.

"And we're not going to make love anymore?"

"No, we're not," she said, holding back her tears.

"And when you decide you're ready to date again, are you going to come to me?"

"No," she said finally. "There's too much history, Steve. That's gonna be a long time from now, but when it happens, I'm going to need a fresh start."

Steve was openly crying now. "Laura, please, don't do this," he begged. "I love you. I need you."

"I'm sorry, Steve," she whispered as her own tears stole her voice. She hated to hurt him, but she couldn't keep going through these ups and downs. It was too hard on her, which meant it was too hard on her kids.

"You don't mean it," he said.

"I do, Steve. I'm sorry. In another universe, maybe we could have gotten it right, but not here. Not now. It's too late for us."

"It's never too late, Laura Lee," he replied, wiping his tears and taking a deep breath to regain his composure. "I'm never giving up on you."

"I'll see you tomorrow, Steve."

"I'll see you tomorrow," he said, though the dial tone cut him off half way through. He continued, hoping a part of her could hear him somewhere, "I love you, Laura Lee Winslow. I will always love you."

Both of them cried themselves to sleep that night.


	12. Chapter 12

When Laura returned to work in the morning, Steve wasn't waiting for her in the parking structure. She was surprised, especially being that he had promised just the night before to never give up on her. He had certainly seemed to have given up on their routine. She didn't mind, though. It only made the break-up easier for her to stomach. She dropped the kids off and went up to the office. She started on her work, but found that she needed Steve's signature before she could continue. She walked into the office, but he wasn't there. She looked around and found that the bathroom door was closed and steam was pouring out of the cracks in the door. He was showering, so she concluded he must have slept there the night before. She glanced over at the couch and saw a blanket and pillow set up like a bed. She walked over to it and folded the blanket. She put the pillow back in its position. She noticed the pile of tissues at her feet. That was a lot of crying. She bent and picked them up. Just as she was tossing the last tissue into the trashcan, he came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. She was immediately taken aback by his muscular body, but that excitement quickly faded when she looked at his face. His eyes were red. His nose looked like he had rubbed it raw from blowing into so many tissues. His lips were in a clear, unmoving frown. _Poor baby…_ she thought, and she meant it. Seeing him like that broke her heart all over again.

"Laura," he said softly when he noticed her. His face didn't brighten at all. "Laura, I'm sorry I wasn't there to meet you this morning. I-I had a late start."  
She nodded, "That's ok, Steve. You don't have to do that anymore."

He furrowed his brow. "I'm going to do that, Laura. Every day. I'm not giving up on us, Sweetums."

"I'm not having lunch with you anymore, Steve," she blurted out, put off by his evident depression.

"I thought you said we could be friends," he whined

"We can, but lunch is too much. It's too hard for me. I'm eating alone, from now on, unless we have a lunch meeting."

"Fine. Then I'll schedule one every day," he declared.

"Steve…"

"I mean it, Laura. I'm not going to let you do this to us!" he yelled. He moved to where she was standing. "I'm not going to let you throw everything away!"

She flinched when he got close to her.

He pulled back immediately when he saw her reaction. "You're really afraid of me?" he asked, trembling slightly.

"No, I…"

"Laura, Sweetheart. Have you thought about maybe seeing a therapist?"

"I'm not crazy because I don't want to date you, Steve!"

"No, but you clearly haven't processed everything that happened with Stefan. You need someone to help you do that. You held it in for too long, and now it's hurting you."

"I told my parents last night."  
"That's a good start, but you have to talk to a professional, Laura."

She grew defensive. "What a way to win me back, Steve! Tell me I'm nuts. Yeah, I'm practically swooning."

"Laura, this isn't about us. This is about _you_. I'm worried about _you_ ," he pressed.

"It's not your job to worry about me."

"Actually, as your boss, it is," he challenged, deciding it was totally fair to out-logic her if she refused to pay attention to his emotional pleas. "If I don't think you can work for me successfully in this state, I can certainly suggest it. We have a psychologist in house. You should make an appointment."

"Shut up, Steve!" she growled. "This is none of your business."

"You don't think this is a problem, Laura? You don't think it's a problem that you're afraid of me? How are you going to do your job if I can't get near you?"

She glared at him. "I'm afraid of you because of what you did _yesterday_ , not because of… my past."

"Fine! Then go process that. You need to go. Haven't there been other symptoms? Isn't there anything else you've done… _or not done_ … that made you question yourself?"

 _'Or not done'? Did he know I didn't take the pill?_ She stared at him, and he stared back. His eyes looked like he knew. She moved toward the door. "Look, sign the papers on your desk. I have work to do."

"Laura!" he called, but she was already out the door.

Laura thought a lot about what Steve had said and decided it didn't matter whether he knew or not. Well, it certainly mattered, but it didn't affect her decision. She took a five minute break to make an appointment for the next day. She didn't have very much longer to take the pill. She needed to figure out what she really wanted and fast, or her next trip to the pharmacy would be for a pregnancy test.

Again, when lunch rolled around, things took a turn. Steve came out of his office and walked to Laura's desk. "Ready for our lunch meeting?"  
"You don't have a meeting on your schedule," she glared.

"Oh, it was a last minute addition. I need to meet with one of the distributors from Norway."

"Our meeting with him is at two."

" _Her_ , actually," Steve said softly, with a cocky smile, wondering if it was still easy to awaken the green-eyed monster in her.

Her jaw clenched in jealousy because he had a lunch date with another woman, in annoyance because he was deliberately trying to make her jealous, and in self-loathing because it had completely worked.

"I just need to take her out on the town for a while," he said. "Show her Chicago. I guess, you don't really have to go. _She_ and I could go, just the two of us."

Laura pictured him exploring Chicago's most romantic restaurants with a hot Norwegian. Long legs, blonde hair, stick-thin, big breasts. She was practically a Barbie doll in Laura's imagination. Though what she pictured wasn't generally Steve's type, her gut twisted at the thought. "Have fun," she said through gritted teeth.

He rolled his eyes. "Oh, stop, Laura. Just come with me."

In that moment, she noticed the return of his looming depression. After they had spoken earlier, he had managed to put on his brave face again, but he didn't have the stamina anymore to hold it up in face of her rejection. Still, nothing had changed. "Nope," she said firmly.

He clenched his jaw back. She was so darn stubborn. "Sweetums, I wish you would–"

Suddenly, the elevator doors dinged and several police officers walked in, including Eddie.

Both LaFura and Steve turned.

Eddie approached them. "Steven Quincy Urkel, you are under arrest for the assault and battery of Stefan Urquelle. You have the right to remain silent," he began as he grabbed Steve gently and pulled his arms behind his back.

"Eddie, what the hell?" Laura asked, standing. "That's not funny."

"It's not a joke, Laura," Eddie said. "There's a video. Even Dad agreed we had to take him in and that means spending way more time with Steve Urkel than he wants to."

"Well, why are you the one doing it?" she demanded.

"Because I knew I would be gentle!" he answered.

"But, Eddie–"

"It's fine, Sweetheart," Steve interjected. "I'll go."

Eddie began to lead him out and continued to list his rights. "Anything you say may be used against you in a court of law."

"Steve!" Laura yelled. "Don't say anything! I'll find you a lawyer." Their eyes met as the doors closed between them. Laura looked back at the interns, her eyes as wide as theirs. "Um. Cancel everything. Don't tell anybody where he really is. I have to go."

Laura ran quickly to Legal and got a recommendation for a defense attorney. She called and insisted they run right out. She met the lawyers at the police station. She ran in, and they followed. She went right to her father. "Daddy," she whimpered, hugging him tightly.

"Hey, Sweetheart," he said, holding her and rubbing her back, hoping to ease some of her tension.

"Where's Steve?" she asked, pulling back. "I brought a lawyer." She looked back at her following. "Well… a team of them."

"It doesn't look like he'll be needing one. He's going to plead guilty," Carl said.

"What?" Laura breathed. "Why would he do that? He could at least try to make a case for 'defense of others'. Even if he lost, the explanation would probably get him lenient sentencing."

"I asked him why, but I think you should let him tell you."

"I can see him?"  
"I shouldn't let you, but yeah. You can see him."

She turned back to the lawyers and explained the situation. They agreed to wait, in exchange for their standard and exuberant hourly fee. She followed her father back to the interrogation room Steve was still in. He opened the door to let her in, and he waited just outside. Laura walked into the room, more shocked than anything else, and sat opposite Steve. His face still didn't have the usual glow it used to have when he saw her. He looked very somber. Was that because of what was happening now or what had happened yesterday?

"You didn't have to come down here, Laura," he said softly.

"Of course I did, Steve. What's going on? Why are you pleading guilty?" she asked, the concern radiating off of her.

He sighed, "I asked your father not to tell you that."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't want you to try to talk me out of it."

"Of course, I'm gonna talk you out of it, Steve. It's crazy! You have to at least try to defend yourself. You're a first-time offender. At least, if you explain yourself, you'll probably just get probation."

"And that would be great, Laura. Obviously, I don't want to go to jail, but I'm not going to air all of your dirty laundry to avoid it. If I tried to defend myself, I'd have to admit to my feelings for you. I'd have to tell them what Stefan did to you, or worse, make you tell them. I'd probably have to explain our relationship. Laura, I'm not going to put you through all that. Not to mention, my name carries some weight in this town, and if I mentioned you and how important you are to me, the press would be all over you and all over your whole life story. I'm not going to throw you and your family to the wolves to save my own behind."

Laura gawked at him. "That's stupid," she said, shaking her head. "You're not stupid. Stop being stupid."

"Laura–"

"No, I'm not letting you do that for me. Make your case. I will be there to support you every step of the way."

"Laura, all of that will become public record, and most of it will be on the news," he reminded her.  
"I was pre-law, Steve. I know that," she said annoyed. "I don't care. You are not going to jail."

"I might not, even if I plead guilty."

"You were defending me, Steve! You're not guilty."

"No," he said softly, looking down at the table, "I was getting revenge." He looked back up to meet her eyes. "There's a difference, remember?" he echoed.

She shook her head. "This is not happening. I am not letting this happen." She stood and walked over to him. "You listen to me, Steve Urkel. If you love me, you will do this for me. I do not want to see you plead guilty. It will hurt me deeply. You don't want to hurt me, so you just won't do this. End of story. Do you understand me?"

There was her Mom-voice again. "Laura," he began.

"NO. That's final. This is not happening," she barked. "I am going to go out there and send the lawyers in here. I found the best of the best, and you are going to let them help you. This will all be over soon," she promised as she walked back toward the door. "Do not make me come back in here," she warned. She opened the door and left him alone again.

He didn't know what else he could do. He wanted to keep her out of it, but she had already gotten very much in it. How could he protect her if she didn't want to be protected?

Steve met with the lawyers, and they, too, insisted he make the case for 'defense of others'. That evening, they held a session to enter his plea and discuss bail. Laura was there for him the whole time. All of the Winslows were, actually. Well, the adult ones. He was released on a high bail, because they knew he could pay a high bail, and Laura was waiting for him outside the precinct.

"Hi," she said when he approached her.

"Hi," he replied. He stared at her, hoping she had waited for him for a reason.

"Thank you for not pleading guilty."

"I can still change my plea," he shrugged.

"Don't," she said. "Please, don't."

"Why do you care, Laura?" he asked. "You dumped me."

"You know why I care," she said, looking away.

"Tell me anyway," he demanded.

"I love you, Steve," she whispered, facing away from him. "You can't go to prison because I love you."

"Going even just the last few hours without hearing that has been torture, Sweetums," he whispered back as he stepped behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her against him. He leaned into her ear. "I love you, too, Laura, with all my heart. I'll do whatever you want me to, ok? Don't worry about any of this," he whispered.

She relaxed against him. "I made an appointment with the psychologist for tomorrow."

"You did?" he smiled into her neck. "That's wonderful, Sweetums."

"Steve, I want to go home with you, but–" she began.

"Fine by me," he smiled, pressing his groin into her butt harder.

" _But_ I have to get home to the boys," she said, pulling out of his arms.

"Laura," he whined as she tore herself away from him again.

"I'm sorry, Steve. I'm glad you're probably not going to prison, and that relieved part of me and that scared part of me just want to rip your clothes off and make love to you again and again and again, but… nothing's changed, Steve. I broke up with you for a reason, and I need to stick to it."

"What about my car? Maven could drive us somewhere private, and then he could… go for a walk," he suggested, moving closer to her again.

"Steve, I have to get home," she repeated, backing away.

"They're already in bed, Sweetums. You have to be home before they wake up, but another couple of hours won't make a difference. Please, Laura. Please, Sweetheart, I need you tonight," he whispered.

She shook her head and started to move faster. "I'll see you tomorrow, Steve," she said quickly, practically fleeing from him at a run. To Steve, it looked like she was running from him in fear again, but in reality, she was running from herself. She wanted him, and she knew if she'd stayed a moment longer, she would have gone to his car with him, if not home with him. She broke up with him because she couldn't put herself through an emotional rollercoaster and still be a good mother, and today was quite a roller coaster, anyway. She couldn't sleep with him on top of it.

The next morning, the news had broken that billionaire Steve Urkel had been arrested for assault. Steve and Laura spent the entire morning in with PR trying to figure out how to handle the negative press. Steve's plan was just to ignore it until the trial. Everything would work itself out then. Laura kept trying to suggest that he explain why he had done it now, but every time she opened her mouth, he interrupted. When the meeting came to a close, she stayed behind. When the doors were closed again, she said, "You need to hold a press conference and explain yourself. I can make a statement on your behalf. Tell your side of the story, and you'll look like a hero."

"There's a reason I didn't let you say that in front of them. I'm not doing that, Laura. I'm not a hero," he said. "You didn't want me to intervene on your behalf, but I did anyway. I took away your ability to choose… just like he did."

"Steve, I was mad when I said that stuff. I know you're not like him," she said.

"Then why won't you date me?"

She hesitated.

"See? There is a part of you that thinks I could be like him someday. I'm not the hero, and I'm not willing to hand you this open can of worms until I have to. The trial is only a week and a half away. We'll have enough to deal with then."

She shook her head and got back to work, knowing Steve Urkel could be more stubborn than she was when he got an idea in his head, especially one that had to do with her.

That day at lunch, Steve cancelled the unnecessary meeting he had set up so that she could go to her appointment. She walked in and found no one in the waiting room. That made sense. There weren't very many lunch appointments available, so how many people would she expect to find? She only managed to get an appointment by dropping Steve's name. She was embarrassed to do that, but she had very limited time left to take the Morning After pill if she wanted it be effective. She couldn't wait weeks for an appointment.

When she was allowed to enter the doctor's office, she wasted no time. Before introducing herself, she took the box out of her purse. She sat across from the woman and said, "This is day three. I still can't take this pill. What's wrong with me?"

The doctor raised her eyebrows. "Hm. Let's not start there. You must be Laura," she said, stretching out a hand, "I'm Dr. Watkins."

Laura shook it, "Nice to meet you. I'm sorry for being so direct, but obviously, I have a time limit."

"To take the pill?"

"Yes."

"Why do you want to take it?"

"Because I was with… a guy, and we forgot the condom, and I don't want to have a baby. I already have two kids."

"And you never want any more? Have you considered a more permanent birth control solution?" she asked.

"Well, no. I'm not sure it's never. I'm only 25. I just know it's not now."

Dr. Watkins sat up straighter. "Well, if it's not now, why can't you take the pill?"

"I don't know," Laura said, flustered. "Aren't you supposed to tell me that?"

"I don't know," Dr. Watkins shrugged. "This is the first time someone has come to me with this particular problem."

Laura glared.

"I feel that you may have the wrong idea about this type of therapy. This is a lengthy journey of self-exploration you are beginning. There are no quick fixes for anything you may be feeling, nor are there easy answers. More than that, I probably don't have many of the answers you're looking for. All I can do is help you find the ones you already have."

Laura rolled her eyes. "Great. So, what do I do about my little problem?"

"We'll have to explore it," she replied. "Tell me about the guy."

Laura paused. "This is all confidential, right?"

"By law," she nodded, "unless I think you are planning to hurt yourself or someone else."

"Well, only emotionally," Laura admitted.

Dr. Watkins smiled.

"His name is Steve Urkel," Laura began. She explained their relationship from start to finish, unloading all of the guilt, anger, sadness, and love she had ever felt because of him. When she finished, explaining even their morning, she already felt a little better. She placed a hand on the box, contemplating opening it right there.

"Wow," Dr. Watkins breathed, "most people take way longer to open up."

"Well, I'm on a deadline," Laura quipped.

Dr. Watkins nodded. "How do you feel when you try to take the pill?" she asked.

Laura thought for a moment. "Frustrated," she replied. "I stare at it and stare at it, and I get so mad at myself for not being able to do it."

"No, that's how you feel when you realize you can't do it. How do you feel just before that? What do you think about?"

"Well, I don't know how I feel really. I think about Steve though."

"What do you think about Steve?"

"I guess the first time I was thinking about how much I loved him and the second time, how mad I was at him."

"Tell me about the first time."

"I opened the box, and I put the pill in my hand. I looked at it and looked at it, and then I realized I couldn't do it. I wondered if it was because Steve was right, and I did want to have a baby with him."

"Do you?"

"No, I can't have a baby right now," she answered flatly.

"Why not?"

Laura looked at her, confused. "Because I still live with my parents, because I'm a single mother, and I can barely take care of the two I have, because I just broke up with Steve? Take your pick."

"Why did you break up with Steve?"

Laura realized she had kind of danced around the Stefan issue. She had explained that it was a messy divorce and that Steve had punched him, but she hadn't explained why that made her so nervous. "My ex-husband hit me," she admitted quietly. "Only once. I left him that night. I took the boys, moved in with my parents, divorced him, and got his parental rights terminated."

"Why did you break up with Steve?" she repeated.

"I got scared when he hit Stefan. He was never a violent man, and in the few moments when we were growing up that he stood up for himself, or for me, physically, he was always too… weak to do any damage. He's strong now. He could really hurt someone, and I didn't realize that until he hit Stefan. I don't ever want to be hit again."

"You think Steve would hit you?"

"I don't know anymore. I never thought Stefan would, so how can I say whether or not Steve would?"

"Maybe you can't. So what does that mean for you? You can't be with any guy who could beat you in a fight? I don't know you very well, Laura, but I think that may limit your options."

"Obviously, that's not what I mean," Laura said.

"Steve and Stefan look alike, right? He's the one on the news? Are they twins?"

"Something like that," Laura replied.

Dr. Watkins raised an eyebrow.

"How long have you been at Urkorp?"

"Since they opened the office in Chicago."

"Then you should know by now that 'something like that' is probably the best answer I can give you."

Dr. Watkins nodded, thinking of the more than occasional instances of scientists approaching her with concerns about one of Steve's seemingly impossible inventions. It was good they kept her on retainer. "Do you think you may be projecting a little? Your incidents with Stefan were traumatic. Now, Steve looks like your abuser, and you're supposed to be able to develop a healthy relationship? That's not easy. I'm not sure that's even possible."

"Possible? Of course, it's possible. It has to be possible," Laura said quickly.

"Why's that?"

"Well, because I love him. I don't want to lose him because of Stefan. Stefan doesn't get to take this away from me too."

"You're letting him, aren't you?"

"No, I didn't break up with Steve because of Stefan."

"You said that it was because you were afraid of him, and you're afraid of him because of Stefan."

"But I-I…"

"Take the pill, Laura," Dr. Watkins said. She stood and took a bottle of water from her fridge. She handed it to Laura and returned to her seat.

"What? Now?"

"Yes, if you still want to."

"I do," Laura said weakly. She reached for the pill. She opened the box and placed it in her hand. She opened the bottle of water and held it in her other hand. She moved the pill closer and closer to her mouth. She paused just before it reached her. She placed the pill back in the box and set it and the water bottle down. She re-crossed her legs and faced away slightly.

"Why couldn't you do it?"

"I don't know," she said again.

"Laura, are you a risk taker?"

"No, not really."

"Are you good at making decisions?"

"Yes," she answered.

"All decisions?"

"What do you mean?" Laura asked, turning back to face her.  
"Well, this pill issue isn't the only time you've hesitated between two choices until it was almost too late, is it?"

"No, I guess not. I did it with Stefan and Steve, too."

"And when you finally chose, because you were forced to choose, how did that go for you?"

"Terribly. Steve took my virginity and abandoned me."

"So why can't you make a decision now?" she prodded.

"Because I got screwed the last time?" Literally and figuratively.

"Yes. It's not that you don't want to be with Steve. You just can't take the leap and decide to be with him. You've been making excuses to push off the inevitable ultimatum that you faced last time. By not taking the pill, you're not making a choice. You're letting fate decide."

"Well, maybe I should. Maybe fate would have been a better decider last time."

"See, there's where you're wrong. Fate did decide for you last time. You didn't get to keep your choice. The one fate picked for you was wrong for you, wasn't he?"

Laura remained silent, contemplating.

"Maybe you should be the one to decide this time."

Laura still said nothing.

"Your session is up. I expect you'll be back next week at the same time?"

Laura nodded.

"Think about it. Your homework for the week is to decide whether or not you really want to take the pill and then follow through."

Laura stood. "Thank you." She grabbed her stuff and removed herself from the office.

When she got back, she walked into Steve's office. She stared at him for a long moment before either of them said anything.

"Hi there, my lovely," he smiled sweetly. "How was your session?"

"I don't know," she said. "It was weird."

"What kind of weird?" he asked, leaning back on his desk.

"I don't know. Just weird." She walked up to him. "Can we talk for a minute? I should probably tell you something."

"Of course, Pet," he smiled, leading her to the couch they had once made love on. He sat down, and she sat next to him, looking out the window. He watched her stare off into space as her hands fiddled with a loose thread on her blouse.

"I didn't take the pill, Steve."

"You didn't?" he clarified, though he had already guessed that much.

"No," she answered, still looking at the river.

"Why not?"

"I don't know. That's what I talked about in my session today. Dr. Watkins thinks it's because I don't want to have to make a decision about us. She thinks I'm leaving it up to fate."

"That makes sense."

"It does," Laura agreed, turning to him, "but why is that a bad thing?"

Steve stared at her, confused.

"I just mean, why is that a bad idea? Maybe that would be a clear sign. You say that we're meant to be together. Maybe this could prove it."

"Laura, you don't believe in that kind of stuff. You've always been one to take control of your own destiny," he reminded her.

"I've tried, but look where it got me. I tried again and again to make things go my way, and every time, fate threw me a curve ball. I chose you, and you left. I married Stefan, and he hit me. I wanted to go to law school, and I got pregnant. I wanted to date you, and now you've been arrested. Maybe I should just sit back for a minute and wait for fate to tell me what to do. Maybe it would be kinder to me if I waited for its input."

Steve felt like he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. He wanted nothing more than to have a baby with this woman, but he felt uncomfortable that the only way that seemed to possibly be happening for him was in the moment she had truly given up. He didn't want to have a baby with her because she had simply decided to go limp. He wanted to have a baby with her because she wanted to have a baby with him, but if he convinced her to make the decision for herself, where would that leave him?

She looked at him, waiting for his response. She didn't expect it to take so long. "Steve?"

He blinked. "I'm sorry, Laura. I got a little lost there."

"What were you thinking?"

"I want to have a baby with you, Laura, but you can't stop being you," he answered eventually. "You can't just give up on that incredible part of you that tries to take control of life. Without that part of you, you wouldn't be half the woman you are. You wouldn't have left Stefan after he hit you. You wouldn't have blossomed in the office the way that you have. You wouldn't be such a wonderful mother. You need that part of you, Laura. I need that part of you." It amazed him how he always found his way out of the brush in his mind to push her to be better, no matter how much it hurt him. He could never take the easy way to her heart, no matter how tempting. He wanted it to win it fair and square.

Lucky for him, it amazed her, too. She leaned forward and put her lips to his. She placed her hands on the back of his head and pulled him closer. She climbed into his waiting lap as her tongue dipped into his mouth again and again. She slipped her blazer off her shoulders and threw it on the floor. She unbuttoned her blouse, revealing her red, lacy bra. She tossed her blouse behind her and untied his tie. He broke their kiss as she slipped it from his neck.

"Laura, what are you doing?"

"Taking control," she whispered in his ear, licking it gently.

"Ooooo…"

She slipped off his suit jacket and unbuttoned his shirt. She pulled it off and sat up to look at him. "I'm not yours, Steve," she said firmly.

"I know that, Laura. Believe me, I know that."

"You're mine," she smiled.

He looked back at her seriously. "I know, Sweetheart. I am. I'm all yours. I've always been yours. I'm here if you want to use me, abuse me, or love me. I will always be yours."

"Today, I want to use you," she admitted.

"Ok," he agreed.

"I'm scared that you might go to prison. I'm scared that I might have a baby. I'm scared that I might give us another chance and I might get hurt again, emotionally or physically. I'm scared that you might get hurt again, but you're going to make all those feelings go away for me, aren't you?"

"Yes," he breathed.

"You're going to fuck me until I ask you to stop, aren't you?"

"I'm going to make love to you," he corrected.

"No, Steve. I need you to fuck me," she whispered. She kissed him again as hard as she could. She reached behind her and unhooked her bra as she grinded against his lap. She threw it across the room and sat up, presenting her breasts to him.

He didn't move.

"God, Steve, touch me," she demanded.

All he needed was her permission. His hands shot right up and grabbed her full breasts. His hands squeezed them and rubbed them as he felt her nipples harden against his palms. He looked up at her face. She looked tense, but his touch seemed to help. He licked his thumbs and fingers and moved to her nipples. He pinched and pulled.

She moaned loudly, "OOOHHHHH, STEEEEVE…"

He leaned forward and took her aching bud into his mouth. He swirled his tongue around it fast as he sucked as hard as he could. He pinched her other nipple rhythmically. _Pinch. Pinch. Pinch. Pinch_.

"Oh, yes. Yes, Steve. Yes, Steve. Don't stop. Oh, you know what I like, Baby."

He pulled away, always determined to leave his audience wanting more.

She glared at him. "I said, 'Don't stop.'"

He smirked at her. "After everything you've put me through the past couple of days, Sweetums, you have to earn your right to that kind of pleasure."

"Excuse me?" she glared.

"Get on your knees, Pet."

"You're mine," she repeated, resisting his request.

"I am," he agreed, "but that doesn't mean I don't get a say in any of this. On your knees, Laura, or I'm stopping."

She gaped at him, wanting badly to call his bluff, but wanting his touch more. She got on her knees in front of the couch. She watched as he unbuckled his belt and unbuttoned his pants. She stared, and he unzipped and pulled his huge erection out of its hiding place.

"Please, Laura," he whispered down to her.

It seemed some of his confidence had faded once he had exposed himself to her. She shook her head at him. "You are going to be my sex toy today. No more ordering me around. I'm in charge."

He nodded, "Yes, ok. Just do it, please."

She leaned forward and quickly licked the pre-cum from his tip.

"OHHHHH, LAURAAAAA!"

Then she pulled away. "You're going to eat me as many times as I want. Then you're going to fuck me as many times as I want. If you're good, I'll clean you up."

He was panting heavily. He had never seen this side of her before, and he couldn't tell if he loved it or hated it. What he did know was it was certainly doing something for him for the time being. He nodded in agreement. "Yes, my queen."

She smiled. "Good boy." She stood up, still wearing her skirt and her heels. She unzipped her skirt and dropped it to the floor. She stepped out of her heels. She slipped her thumbs in her thong and pulled it to the ground.

"That red one's my favorite," he reminded her.

She smiled at him. "I remember. Now, lie down."

He did as she asked and lay down on the couch.

She moved closer to him and stole his glasses. She set them on the coffee table. She climbed on the couch, her womanhood hovering over him. "I'm gonna sit on you now, Baby, ok?"

"Yes, my love. Please. I saved you a spot," he grinned, licking his lips.

She lowered herself down, her thighs cradling either side of his head. Her womanhood landed on his hot, big lips, and he kissed her. He kissed all over her, and she rubbed herself against his lips. "Mmmmm, Steve…"

He reached his hands up to grip her curvy hips. "Mmmmmm…" He pushed her up so he could whisper to her, "You taste so sweet." He pulled her back down, shoving his tongue inside of her.

She bounced quickly on his face. "Yesssss… STEVE!" She shifted slightly, removing her tight hole from his mouth and forcing him to taste her clit.

He licked it again and again as she bounced up and down for him.

"Oh, my GOD. OH, GOD. STEVE. STEVE. STEVE."

He sucked on it lightly and slowly began to increase his force. He sucked harder and harder, moaning as he gave her all the pleasure she wanted, "Mmmmmm…"

"STEEEEEEVE… Don't stop!don'tstop!don'tstop!"

He ravaged her until he felt her legs tighten against him. She shoved her womanhood down as hard as she could. For a long moment, he seriously contemplated the possibility that she may smother him. Still, he continued to suck.

She closed her eyes tightly and rested her weight on her arms placed out on the couch in front of her. She shoved her quivering womanhood against him harder. Her body started to shake and tremble. She feared her arms would give out. "Steeeeeeve," she whined. "I'm coming for youuuuuuu…"

He heard her announce her orgasm and felt her juices ooze onto his chin while he continued to suck her clit. Only seconds later, she quickly pulled herself off of him. She sat on the couch beside his head as they both panted heavily. He was happy to have air in his lungs again, but he missed the sounds, smells, tastes, and feeling of her pleasure. He gazed up to watch her recover, still lying down in case she wanted to sit on his face again. He watched her breasts rise and fall as she breathed heavily. He looked at the way the sweat glistened on all of her curves. He couldn't help but wonder if this would be the last time he'd get to taste her. He could never tell with her.

When she had completely calmed down, she turned to look down at him. She reached a hand out and stroked his cheek, then his chest. "That felt so good, Steve. Thank you for making me come like that."

"Whenever you want, Pet. I'm yours, remember?"

She smiled. "I do."

He sat up, turning to face her. "What do you want your slave to do next, my love?"

She closed her eyes. "I want you to fuck me, and I want you to play with my clit while we do it because I want to come on that big cock again."

He moved closer to her ear. "You are such a naughty girl," he purred. "You have such a filthy mouth."

"Get a condom," she ordered, ignoring his comment.

He stood and walked over to his desk. He pulled out the condom and came back to where she was sitting. He handed it to her.

She stood and pulled off his pants and his boxers. He stepped out of them along with his shoes and his socks. She opened the condom and slipped it over his erection.

"LAURAAAA…" he drooled as her hands gripped his raging erection, sliding up and down as she adjusted the condom.

She turned around, presenting her big booty to him. She leaned over the couch. "Fuck me, Steve," she ordered.

He moved closer behind her, taking a moment to play with her butt. He squeezed and shook the cheeks in his big hands. He let his member rub against her gently, but with no guidance, it did very little for her.

"Fuck me, Steve," she repeated, pressing back into him.

He leaned over her. "No," he said firmly.

"What?"

"No, I will never fuck you. I will always be making love to you when we do this. I can't shut off these feelings and use you the way you can. For me, this is making love," he whispered, as he lined his member up with her entrance. "I love you, Laura Lee," he purred as he shoved himself inside as far as he could. "Unnn…"

"Ooooo…"

He moved his hand around to rub her clit. Knowing how aroused she still was, he rubbed her hard and fast. He still wasn't completely inside.

"More, Steve. I need more."

He pressed in further, beginning to thrust in and out.

"Oh, yeah. Give me that big, hard–"

His other hand moved to cover her mouth. "Don't say it. Don't say it, you naughty girl." He released her mouth and rewarded her for her cooperation. He buried himself balls-deep and continued to pump in and out of her. "Lauraaaa… Lauraaaaaaa… Lauraaaaaaaaaaaa…" he growled.

"Ooooo, yessss…" she whimpered. "Harder, Steve. I need to come for you. Harder, please."

"Oh, GOD!" he yelled as he thrust into her harder.

"Mmmm… Yeah, Baby, that's it. That's it. Don't stop," she begged. "Don't stop. Don't stop. Don't stop."

He rubbed her clit faster, despite the cramp in his hand, as he felt his orgasm approaching. She had to come first. She had to come on him. "Come for me, Laura," he growled in her ear. "Come _on_ me."

"Yes! Please! Make me come. Please, give it to me. Make me come!"

"I love you, Pet. Come on it. Come on me."

"I'm so close, Steve. I want to come. I'm so close. Give me that cock, Steve. Make me come on that big, hard cock!" she yelled, trying to push herself over the edge. She reached up to pinch her nipples.

Catching the hint, he batted her hand away and gripped her left breast. He pinched her nipple hard, pulling on it, twisting it.

"Ohhhh, yessssss…" she cried as she started to shake on his member. "Oh, yessss… Steeeeeeeeeeve…"

"OH, LAURA!" he yelled as he slammed into her as hard as he could. He felt her twitching and pulsing around him, resisting his exit, pulling him deeper. He slammed in and out of her harder, forcing her hard against the couch. "Come for me, Laura. Come on me. I'm coming. I'm coming. I love youuuuuu…"

"Steeeeeve… Yes, Steeeeeeeve… I… Ohhhhhh…"

He was still slamming into her at full force when the door to his office flew open.

"God, Lauraaaaaaaaa..." he groaned collapsing on top of her, still feeling her body convulse in ecstasy below him.

"Steeeeeve… I'm coming… Steeeeeve…"

As Steve came back to his senses, while her orgasm was just finishing, he realized that they weren't alone. He looked up to see all three interns, wide-eyed, crowded around the door. "Oh, God!" he yelled, pulling out of her.

"Steeeeeeve," she whined, as her body started to relax. She opened her eyes to scold him for pulling away so soon. "Why'd you – OH, MY GOD!" she screamed as she made eye contact with Jeremy while she was buck naked. She turned to get her clothes, only to find that Steve had already grabbed the blanket he slept with two nights before and was handing it to her. She wrapped it around herself and turned back to the interns.

Steve slipped on his boxers and stood beside her, feigning confidence.

"Um. Obviously, we need to have some sort of meeting about this," Laura began, "but we need to get dressed first, so why don't you guys go wait at your desks? We'll come get you."

They nodded and slowly walked out.

Laura turned back to Steve. "See what happens when I take control of things?"

"No, Sweetheart," he sighed, "don't think like that. Wasn't that wonderful? Wasn't that worth it?"

She thought for a while and shrugged. "I don't know if it was worth it yet, Steve. It felt amazing, but who knows what kind of repercussions this is going to have with the interns? It took me a long time to earn their respect, and now that's all out the window."

"But, Sweetums, our relationship was going to come out at the trial anyway, right? Maybe it's better if they get a chance to process it all before then."

"Maybe," she agreed. She dropped the blanket and found her clothes. Steve watched her dress, disappointed that she wasn't going to let him keep those panties, too.

When they were both fully clothed, Laura asked the interns to join them at the conference table. Laura and Steve took their usual seats, Steve at the head, Laura at his right hand.

"Ok, so obviously, you know that Laura and I made love today," Steve began.

All three interns and Laura cringed. "God, Steve. Do you have to call it that?" she asked, covering her face.

"You don't mind that phrase," he said, confused.

"I do in this context!"

"What do you want me to say?"

"Sex! We had sex!" she said a little too loudly. She looked back at the interns, embarrassed.

"Ok," Richard began. "Can I just say… Way to go, Man!" He offered a high-five to Steve, who understandably refused. "I been tryin' to tap that since the day she walked in."

"How long have you been 'tappin'… _that_ '?" Kelly asked, visibly upset. "Because I was under the impression that you were actually qualified for this job, Laura. I mean, that first day, I thought that _this_ was exactly what was going on, but after that, I gave you the benefit of the doubt because you really seemed to know your stuff. Do you even actually have a degree?"

Laura took a deep breath, trying to see this from Kelly's perspective. She and Laura had gotten closer since they'd been working together, and Laura understood why she would be upset to find her mentor sleeping with the boss. "Kelly, Steve and I had sex once when we were twenty. Then we had sex after that party on Saturday and several times since. This hasn't been going on very long at all."

"Why should we believe that?" she demanded.

"Because it's the truth and because you guys should know me after all this time."

"We thought we did," Kelly grumbled.

"Guys, I love him," Laura said. "Our relationship is complicated because of our pasts and because of my kids, but I love him. I had sex with him because we're in love. This relationship may not ever be a real option, but I love him, ok?"

The interns stared for a long moment.

"I love her, too, if that hasn't been clear this whole time," Steve added. "I've asked her to marry me several times recently and even more throughout our lives. This isn't some casual office fling. It certainly isn't quid-pro-quo."

The interns sat in silence for a while. Eventually, Jeremy spoke up. "I think it's nice."

Laura, Steve, Richard, and Kelly turned to him. He typically didn't say a whole lot, and they had all assumed he would remain silent for this awkward conversation.

He got nervous under their hot stares. "That guy who was here the other day, the one who looks like you, Dr. Urkel, he wasn't very nice. He didn't treat Laura very well, but you seem to, and you two have known each other since kindergarten, right? You know each other better than most people know their spouses on the day they get married. I think if you're in love, and the timing just isn't working at the moment, it's ok to indulge in a little affection to remind each other you care, even if it has to be in the office."  
Laura smiled to herself. Steve really had hired a younger version of himself. Jeremy clearly understood what it was like to have romantic difficulties and to persist through them. "Thank you for being so understanding, Jeremy," Laura said eventually. She looked at each of the interns in turn. "Look, I want you guys to respect me. I really do. From now on, I promise we will keep this stuff far, far away from work, but more than that, I think we need to get some stuff on the table before the trial."

They nodded and waited for her to continue.

"That guy that Steve punched is my ex-husband. He is the father of my kids. I made him give up his paternal rights in the divorce because he hit me. It was only one time, but it really messed me up. Today, I… Uh… Today, I started therapy. I'm hoping that will help me get through some of this stuff because I used to think that I was ok, but I'm not. I'm really not. It's hard being a single mother and all of the stresses on top of it… It's just so much. I don't know if you guys really need to know much more than that at this point. I'm sorry we weren't straightforward about this when it started, but I was scared. I didn't want anybody to find out about us because I wasn't sure if there was an 'us' anymore, and more than that, I didn't want to have to explain to anybody why I'm so unsure and indecisive about this stuff now."

The interns were humbled by her honesty. Jeremy was moved by her story. Rich knew enough not to make dumb joke about her situation. Kelly felt terrible that she had been so hard on her. Laura had clearly been through a lot.

"I'm sorry, Laura," Kelly said. "You just really caught us off guard. I didn't know about any of that, and I didn't mean to be so…"

"Bitchy?" Rich suggested.

She elbowed him. "Insensitive," she said pointedly. "I should have figured out more about your life before I got all judgmental, both when I met you and today."

"That's ok, Kelly," Laura said. "I understand. As much as I hate to admit it, I probably would have acted the same way. Probably worse."

"Definitely worse," Steve interjected.

Laura elbowed him.

Rich cleared his throat. "Ahem. It's possible that I've been a little… unprofessional with you, Laura, so… sorry," he said quickly.

"Thank you, Richard. I appreciate that," she said pointedly.

Kelly and Richard looked to Jeremy. "What?" he asked. "I haven't done anything. I was very understanding."  
The other interns rolled their eyes in unison.

"I really hope you don't get sent to jail, Dr. Urkel," Jeremy said.

"Oh, it was worth it," Steve said with a wave of his hand. "That guy deserved it."

"Steve!" Laura scolded. "You can't talk like that, or you really will have to go to prison for a while."  
"Relax, Pet. This country's system works well for the wealthy!" he joked with a laugh and a snort.

"But not for Black people!" she reminded him with a quirk of her brow, silencing him immediately.

Steve's face grew serious. She had a point. He turned back to the interns. "Look, whatever happens, this company will need to continue. If I go to prison for a while, the board will appoint a temporary CEO who will likely try to bring in his or her own staff, and I'm gonna let 'im because I'm going to need you guys to continue to work for me. It'll be just like I'm out of town. Lots of phone calls and emails. Your jobs are safe," he promised, looking at Laura as he finished.

She didn't know how much she needed to hear that until he had said it. She felt one of the knots in her neck loosen immediately.

The interns muttered their thanks and waited to see if there was more.

Steve turned to Laura, "Do you have anything else to say?"

She shook her head.

"Well, then I guess we have some more work to do today, huh?" he asked, getting on with business.

At the end of the day, Laura pretended to work until the last intern left. When they were finally alone again, she knocked on Steve's door.

"Come on in, Sweet Pea," he called.

She slipped in the door and closed it behind her. As subtly as she could, she locked it.

Steve smiled at her and stood. "Are you ready to go get the babies, Baby?"

She shook her head.

He cocked her head at her. "What's up, Doc?"

She gestured toward him and went out to the balcony. He followed close behind her, and she stopped at the railing. She leaned over it to look at the river. He leaned over it, too, but his eyes were locked on her.

"Talking to the interns felt really good today, didn't it?"

He smiled and nodded. "It did. You know I don't like secrets."

"I took the pill, Steve," she said, still not looking at him.

His face dropped. He knew it was coming, but he had no idea how much it would hurt him. "Oh," he said as she knocked all the breath from his body.

She heard his tone and turned back to him, her face filled with sympathy. "I know that's not what you wanted, Steve. It's not really what I wanted either, but I need to be in control of my own life again. It felt so amazing to clear the air with the interns. I am so stressed right now. I just needed to take care of something that I could take care of."

"I understand," he said, his voice breaking. He looked away to hide the tears stinging his eyes. He sniffled softly, embarrassed by his reaction.

Laura heard his sniffling but was afraid to embarrass him by trying to comfort him, so she offered up the good news she was saving for last. "That's not the only thing I'm taking care of, though," she said.

"It's not?" he asked nervously, still facing away from her.

"Nope," she smiled. She reached for his chin and turned him toward her.

He rushed to wipe the tears from his face. "What else?" he sniffled, trying to sound like he just had a runny nose.

"I'm going to start dating again," she smiled confidently.

Steve's face contorted in a much more painful expression. "That's great," he lied as his mind flashed back to their previous discussion, that he wasn't going to be her first call anymore.

"Are you Saturday tomorrow night?" she asked with a sexy smirk.

His eyes widened. He pointed at himself. "Are _you_ asking _me_ out?"

"You betcha, Baby," she cooed, moving closer.

Steve's face was split in half by his smile as he grinned ear to ear. He wiped his tears again, though now happy ones were flowing. He pulled her into his arms. "Abso-tutle-utely!" he chirped. "I have big plans for our second first real date!" She shook her head, and he feared she was backing out already.

"Nuh-uh," she said. " _I_ asked _you_ out so I'm planning the date."  
"What?!" he cried, "But _I've_ asked _you_ out a hundred times since you came back into my life. None of those count?"  
"Nope," she smiled, "because _I_ said, 'No'. _You_ said, 'Yes'. I win!"

He sighed. "Fine. What will we be doing Saturday night?"

"It's a surprise," she teased as she pulled away from him and headed back to the door.

He followed her and opened the door for her. "Well, what time? What should I wear?"

"I'll pick you up at five, and wear jeans," she said as she headed out of his office and toward the elevator.

" _You'll_ pick _me_ up?" he asked in surprise. "JEANS?" he asked as he followed her to get the kids.


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note: Thanks for reading and reviewing. I'm glad there are other people as crazy as me who haven't been able to sleep since FM ended without a true finale for Laura and Steve. Season X is almost ready for an update. I painted myself into a little writer's block corner, but I've learned that lesson, and I'm almost out. Should be updated soon. This story may slow down a bit if I get back into the swing of things with Season X, so if you're a fan of this one, but haven't checked out my series, you should!**

Saturday night, Steve put on his best pair of jeans, brand new, and a polo shirt. He tucked it in and found some clean, new, very expensive sneakers. He threw a light jacket over top and finished the outfit with his classic glasses and his platinum watch. He had changed his outfit a dozen times but ended up back in his original choice. He tossed a small, velvety box in his jacket pocket, just in case the moment struck him. Just as he began to consider changing again, the doorbell rang.

"Well," he said to himself, "I guess this is the look." He turned and ran for the door, but by the time he had made it downstairs, Maven had already let his guests in. The first person he saw was Harriette. "Harriette!" he called as he ran down the marble stairs. "What are you doin' here?" He hugged her as he reached the bottom of the staircase.

She hugged him back. "Hey, Steve. I'm your babysitter for the evening."

He released her but held excitedly to her shoulders. "You are?" he beamed. Suddenly, his face grew thoughtful. "Shouldn't you be at your house?"

Harriette shook her head. "Laura asked me to spend the night with the boys here."

"Why?" he asked.

Harriette smirked. "You oughta ask her because I'm certainly not explaining it to you."

Steve was still confused, but his mind was torn from the puzzling line of thought when he heard the pitter-patter of tiny feet behind him. He turned to find Michael running toward him.

"Uncle Steve!" he called as he sprinted as quickly as his little feet could take him.

"Michael!" Steve yelled back. He squatted and opened his arms so his little buddy could run right into them. He hugged him tight and inhaled. He wanted one of his own so badly. He squeezed Michael tighter, but he wiggled uncomfortably. Regretfully taking the hint, Steve set him back down. He squatted in front of him again. "What's up, Little Man?"

"Mama said Grandma, Eli, and I get to hang out here while you two go out for a meeting! Then we get to sleep over!"

"Is that what she told you?" Steve asked, uncomfortable with the fact that Laura had lied about their date.

Michael turned to his grandmother. "Grandma!" Michael yelled.

"Yes, Mikey?" Harriette answered.

"Can I show you my favorite room in the whole house?"

"Sure!" Harriette said, following him in the direction of the pool. "Have fun tonight, Steve!" she called over her shoulder.

Steve was suddenly left alone, contemplating both what Harriette and Michael had told him. Soon, he was again distracted as a hand pinched his butt. He jumped higher than he knew he could, picking both feet well off the ground. "Wah!" he screamed. He turned around to find Laura giggling as Eli watched with wide, surprised eyes.

"Hey," she smiled sweetly.

He took a deep breath and smiled back. "Hi, Sweetums," he whispered, moving closer to her. He leaned down and kissed her cheek. "How are you?"

"A little nervous, honestly," she shrugged.

"Oh, you have nothing to be nervous about, my love. You know we're gonna have a great time."

"You don't even know what we're doing," she reminded him.

"It doesn't matter to me, as long as we do it together."  
She rolled her eyes as the cheese oozed from him. "Are you ready to go?"

"You bet!" he grinned.

"Ok, one sec." she smiled. She headed back to the pool, where she knew Michael would be with her mother and handed Eli off. She said a quick goodnight and ran back to Steve.

It was after she had ditched the baby that Steve began to feel like they were really going to go through with this. As she approached him, he allowed himself to stare at her body, memorizing every detail of her on their second first date, years later. Her hair was pulled off of her face with a black headband. Her lips were a soft, glossy pink. She wore a low-cut, but very simple, burgundy sweater. It was tight, and he could see that her breasts were ready to pour out of it. The sweater came down to just above the waist of her low jeans, exposing the slightest bit of her skin. Her dark jeans were tight all the way down. She wore black and white sneakers on her dainty feet. Steve couldn't believe how fantastic she looked in such a casual outfit. To others, she may have even looked like a mom, but to Steve, she looked like a Victoria's Secret model. His heart pounded in his chest, and his breath shortened as he watched her approach him with a huge smile on her lips.

She grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the door. "Ready?"

"Ready," he agreed breathlessly as he followed her and locked the door. They climbed into Laura's junker, and she still refused to tell him where they were going. Steve didn't mind, however, because he knew wherever they were, they were going to have a magical night, but the curious scientist inside of him could barely take the suspense. He tried to add up all the clues, but he came up with nada. When they eventually pulled up to the old bowling alley not far from the Winslow house, he assumed she had missed her turn and was turning around.

Then she turned off the car. "Surprised?"

"Very," he admitted as he looked around him to see if he was being Punk'd.

She smiled. "Do you remember the last time we came here, just the two of us?"

He smirked. "I do. I was begging your father to go with me, but he bribed you to go."

"How long did we last? Like an hour?" she laughed.

He nodded. "That's about right."

She pulled the keys from the ignition and opened her door. "Well, I bet we can do better than that this time," she said as she stood from the car.

Steve followed her out of the car and toward the front doors. "You're serious?" he asked in disbelief.

"Of course! Why wouldn't I be?" she asked, pausing in front of the doors.

Steve shrugged uncomfortably. He didn't want to accuse her of being a golddigger, but… "I don't know," he said. "I just assumed that since I have money, you might want to… spend some of it."

She shook her head. "I don't want money from you, Steve. I wish you could have learned that years ago. I just want to spend time with you."

He smiled bashfully. "That's all I want, too, my queen."  
"Then let's go in," she said, tugging him through the double doors. She led him to the counter and asked for a couple of games and two pairs of shoes, slapping her cash down.

Steve grabbed it off the counter. "Nuh-uh. No way. Not happening, Lady," he said, trying to hand it back to her with one hand as his other went for his own wallet.

She took the money back from him and placed it back on the counter as he struggled to free his wallet from his stiff new jeans. She slid the cash to the gentleman behind the counter, ignoring Steve's objections.

"Laura," he pressed as they were handed their shoes and pointed to lane 20, the very last one, "why wouldn't you let me pay?"

"Because _I_ asked _you_ out. Remember?"

"But, Sweet Pea, I have the money, and you're a single parent."

"Steve, it wasn't expensive," she argued.

"No, but if we go on enough dates, that can add up."

"Let's see how this one goes first, ok?" she suggested, setting her purse down in their lane. She sat and slipped off her sneakers. She put on her bowling shoes and leaned forward to tie them.

Steve let the subject drop as she leaned forward, giving him a great view of her deep cleavage. He sat across from her, hoping to enhance his sight. He bit his lip softly as her breasts jiggled with the tying motion.

When she looked up, she smirked as she caught him drooling over her. "Steve," she said, but there was no response. "Steve," she tried again. Still, nothing. "Steve!"

"Huh? Wha-?" he asked, snapping out of his trance.

She laughed. "Try to keep the drool to a minimum, at least until we get back to your place, ok?"

He nodded, embarrassed that she had caught him. "Yes, Ma'am." He slipped on his bowling shoes and tied them tight. He stood and slipped off his jacket.

Then it was Laura's turn to drool. She hadn't expected him to look so good without his tailored suits, but his tight polo shirt exposed his large biceps and hugged tightly to the muscles in his chest. As he turned to set his jacket down, Laura's eyes were immediately drawn to his firm butt in those tight jeans. She placed a hand over her heart to order it to slow. She was supposed to take the lead tonight so that she could control just how hard she fell for him. So far, it wasn't working. She forced her eyes away before he turned back to her, so he wouldn't catch her staring. She stood to find a ball.

As they began their games, they fell quite naturally into their old patterns. Steve made silly jokes and complimented her relentlessly. Laura teased him and tried her best to ignore his worship. They both forgot that Laura was a mother, that Steve was a billionaire, that any of the past five years had happened. They played two games, ate greasy bowling alley food, and finally, everything died down.

When their last game was finished, their food was eaten, their drinks were gone, and they'd run out of things to say, Laura just stared at him. He held his breath as she moved closer to him. Soon their lips were touching, and they were wrapped tightly in each other's arms. It felt like their first kiss all over again. Their hearts were pounding. Their blood was flowing to all the right places. Neither of them remembered to breathe. When she finally pulled away, they were both panting heavily. Laura was surprised to find that she had wrapped one leg around his waist. She had no memory of that. Steve was surprised to find his hands up her shirt, touching her bare back. As they untangled from each other, they remained silent. They looked at each other, blushing deeply. Then Laura walked to the shoe counter, returned her shoes, and walked out. Steve followed immediately behind her. When they got into the car, Laura put the key into the ignition and began to drive. Still, neither of them said anything.

Laura tried her best to focus on the road, but that became much more difficult when Steve's hand landed on her thigh. He rubbed it gently, sliding far too high up her leg to be considered decent. Soon he kissed her neck. He tugged at the skin gently, being careful not to leave any hickeys this time. When she felt his hand land on her breast and his fingers pinch her nipple, she couldn't take it anymore. "No!" she yelled.

He pulled back immediately, thinking he had crossed a line and offended her in some way.

"Please, don't do that while I'm driving, Steve. It's too much for me. If you want to fool around, we have to pullover," she offered.

He hesitated for a moment. Was that an option? "Do you want to do that?"

She shook her head. "No. I just wanna get you home. The boys are asleep by now. We can sneak upstairs unseen and…" she trailed off, trying to maintain her focus.

He nodded. "I want you so bad," he whispered.

She nodded but remained silent. She couldn't handle dirty talk either. They were both silent for the rest of the ride. When they pulled into Steve's circular drive, Laura parked right in front of the door, and they sprinted inside. Steve chased Laura up the stairs and into his bedroom. When they were safely alone, he locked the door and dimmed the lights just a bit. He went to a panel on the wall and turned on some romantic music. He got a match out of his dresser drawer and lit the candles he had placed around the room.

Laura sat on his bed, which was already covered in rose petals, and watched him prepare their little love nest. Only moments before, she had been nothing but horny. Now, as she watched him nesting, her heart began to pound for a different reason. Was this too big of a commitment for them? Steve was certainly taking it seriously.

He turned back to her. "Dance with me?" he asked as he switched the song to one of his favorites.

Laura swallowed hard and joined him as he walked out to his balcony, overlooking Lake Michigan. She took his hand and stepped into his arms as he offered them to her. She began to feel faint as he pulled her in close, firmly against his body. She could feel his erection pressing into her, grinding against her softly as they began to dance. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her face against him to avoid his eyes.

Steve began to sing to her softly, " _Share my life. Take me for what I am 'cause I'll never change all my colors for you. Take my love. I'll never ask for too much, just all that you are and everything that you do. I don't really need to look very much further. I don't wanna have to go where you don't follow. I won't hold it back again, this passion inside. Can't run from myself. There's no room to hide. Don't make me close one more door. I don't wanna hurt anymore. Stay in my arms if you dare, or must I imagine you there? Don't walk away from me. I have nothing, nothing, nothing, if I don't have you…"_ As Whitney continued to vocalize, Steve whispered, "I've always thought the second verse would come from you."

Laura listened carefully as Steve stopped singing, and the words were meant to represent her feelings. He had a point. _You see through right to the heart of me. You break down my walls with the strength of your love. Mmmmm… I never knew love like I've known it with you. Will a memory survive? One I can hold on to? I don't really need to look very much further. I don't wanna have to go where you don't follow. I won't hold it back again, this passion inside. I can't run from myself. There's no room to hide. Your love I remember forever._

Suddenly, as tears streamed down her face, Laura pulled away from him. She sprinted back inside and out of his bedroom. As soon as he realized she had left him, he followed her. The song echoed behind them as he chased her. "Laura!"

 _Don't make me close one more door. I don't wanna hurt anymore. Stay in my arms if you dare, or must I imagine you there? Don't walk away from me. I have nothing, nothing, nothing…_

She turned and headed down the stairs, still sobbing. He followed closely behind her, all the way out the back door. She ran down to the beach. She kicked her sneakers off and pulled off her socks. When she finally reached the water, she dipped her feet in. She covered her face as she cried. Finally, she collapsed to her hands and knees sobbing into the wet sand and the waves, water soaking straight through her jeans.

When Steve finally caught up to her, he dragged her out of the lake and onto dry sand. He held her close as she continued to sob. He shushed her comfortingly, but it made no difference. Feeling her pain like a needle in his heart with her every sob and sniffle, it felt like it had been hours by the time she had calmed down, when it had really only been minutes. When she was finally silent, he pulled back to look at her. "What's wrong, Laura? What did I do?"

She shook her head, still sniffling. "You didn't do it. I'm just scared, Steve."

"Of what, Sweetheart?"

"Of losing you," she cried.

"You won't lose me again, my love. I'll never leave you again. I learned my lesson the last time."

"That's not what I mean. I'm worried that you'll go to prison!"

He scoffed, "Oh, that's not gonna happen."

"But that's just our luck, Steve. We went on this amazing date. I feel ready to go out on more, maybe even go steady or something, but we have this trial looming over us, and I know something's gonna go wrong. I don't wanna wait for you anymore, Steve. I need you now."

He kissed her softly. "I won't let that happen, Sweetums. I promise. I'm not going anywhere."

"You can't make that promise, Steve!" she shouted. She moved to climb out of his arms, but he held onto her tightly.

"Don't leave, Laura. I know you're scared. I am, too, but if something's really gonna go wrong, I don't want to spend my last nights free alone. I want you and the boys here with me through the end of the trial. Please? I need you, Sweetheart," he asked, tearing up.

"I can't put my kids through that, Steve," she answered flatly.

"Just tell them it's a vacation. We can go out on the boat tomorrow. The trial starts Monday, but we'll have the evenings this week to spend time together. I can't sleep alone, Laura."

"I can't put _myself_ through that, Steve. What if I lose you again?"

"Wouldn't it be better to have me this week than not at all?" he begged.

"I don't know," she hesitated.

Feeling sick of her indecision, he took advantage of her pause and pinned her to the ground. He kissed her passionately and began to grind against her. Her legs and arms wrapped around him immediately, but he wanted to be sure she was as excited about what he was doing as he was. He broke their kiss and looked down at her. They were both breathing heavily. "Is this ok?" he asked, trailing a hand up her thigh and under her shirt.

She nodded.

"Say it out-loud for me, Babycakes," he commanded as his hand squeezed her bra cup.

"Yes, Steve. It feels nice," she replied.

He smiled at her. "I want to make love to you," he whispered.

"Not here," she cringed as she already felt the grainy sand scraping the fragile skin on her smooth back.

Steve pouted. "Isn't it romantic?" he pressed.

"It's uncomfortable," she corrected.

That's when he got an idea. Maybe there was a way to keep the romantic atmosphere, but ditch her concerns. He stood and offered her a hand to pull her to her feet. He led her out onto his dock and helped her onto his yacht. He led her down into the cabin and into the dark. When they reached the master bedroom, he flipped on the lights. The room was tiny, but luxurious. The bed was smaller than the bed in his room in the house, but he didn't think they'd be needing much space. The real reason he had led her here was the view. As the lights came on, a skylight opened to reveal the stars. The wall at the back of the boat was covered in windows, giving them a view both above and just below the water. He walked to a few windows in the center and popped open the upper portion. As the beachy air filled the room, he turned back to his guest. He walked close to Laura and took her into his arms. "Let's get you out of those wet clothes," he whispered.

She nodded and began to undress. She slipped her sweater over her head and tossed it beside her. She struggled as she slipped her wet jeans off. Steve knelt in front of her and helped her tug them down. She moved her hands up and undid her bra as he tugged her panties off. When she was completely nude, she pulled away from him and moved toward the bed. The bed faced the windows and above the pillows was a mirror, so it reflected the view. She crawled shyly under the covers and watched as Steve began to undress.

He did not take his time. He threw his clothes across the room as quickly as possible and climbed into bed beside her. He moved as close to her as possible, needing to be near her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. "Will you wait for me?" he whispered into her ear.

She turned to look at him, her face contorting in heartbreak. "I don't want to wait anymore, Steve. I just want to be with you."

"But if I lose the trial, will you wait for me?" he pressed.

She shook her head as tears began to escape her eyes again. "I don't know."

He nodded, accepting that that was likely the best answer she could give him. "Well, then I better not lose." He climbed on top of her and between her legs. He kissed her, taking the time to calm her down before he began to touch her most intimate areas. When the tears finally stopped, he broke their kiss and looked down at her. "I'm so sorry about all of this Laura. I don't regret punching him, but it wasn't worth all of this. Had I known he was going to do this to us, I wouldn't have done it."

She looked at him seriously. "It's ok, Steve. He deserved it. It's not worth this, but I didn't see this coming either."

"Laura, I'm gonna do something, and I don't want you to freak out. You can say no, if you want, but I have to ask." He stood and moved toward his pants. He pulled the tiny box out of his pocket and turned back to her. She was sitting up now, watching him intently. He got on one knee before the bed. "Laura Lee Winslow, I know I've asked you this a hundred times before, and I'm sure I'll have to ask you many more times, but I love you with all my heart, and I want to be your husband more than anything else in this world. I would give up everything I have for you. I made the biggest mistake of my life five years ago, but maybe it was the right thing for us because now we have your incredible kids. I know this is fast, but you seem to be coming around, and I would always regret it if I didn't ask, so… will you marry me?"

She paused for a long moment. "Ask me after you win the trial," she answered eventually.

His eyes widened. "What? Really?"

"If you win the trial, ask me again, and then we'll see," she repeated.

Suddenly, he pounced on her. He kissed her passionately as he took the ring out of the box and slipped it onto her finger.

When he finally let her break away, she pulled the ring back off. "Hey, wait. I haven't said yes yet. I'm not wearing this until then." She handed it back to him.

He looked down at it and then back to her. "Wear it tonight. You can take it off in the morning. I want you to wear it while we…"

"We'll have time for that if we ever actually get engaged."

"Wear it tonight," he repeated. "Please?"

She looked down at the ring for the first time. It was beautiful, and the diamonds were huge. He had billions of dollars now, so she wasn't sure why she was surprised, but it was honestly too much for her. Still, for one night, to make him happy, it was worth it. She slipped the ring on her finger again and looked up at him. She uncomfortably showed him her hand.

He grabbed it and kissed it. Then he kissed his way up her arm, landing on her neck. "Laura Lee…" he purred as he sucked on her favorite spot.

"Oh, Steve…" she cooed in response.

"I'm going to be such a good husband," he promised.

"I haven't said yes," she reminded him as he sucked aggressively on her hickey.

"You haven't said no." He moved his hands up to play with her breasts. He massaged them gently, tracing his fingertips across her sensitive skin. Soon, he grew impatient and began to kiss his way down her body, landing between her legs. "When we're married," he promised, "I'm going to do this every day." Without waiting for a response, he began to eat her out, licking her slit and tongue fucking her as he got her clit ready.

"Oh, God, yes..." she purred.

"Mmmmm..."

"Oh, Steve..." she moaned as her hand found its way to the back of his head. She stroked it gently, encouraging him as he licked her.

He lapped happily at her entrance, enjoying her flavor, but soon, he kissed his way up to her clit and began to suck it.

"Ohhhhhhhh, yessssssss..." She pushed harder on the back of his head, begging him for more. She tightened her legs around and his face. She gasped as two of his fingers slid deep inside her. "AHH!"

He grinned happily into her pussy, thrilled he was able to make her make those sounds. He sucked harder and stroked her G-spot with his strong fingers.

"Oh, Steve... I'm almost there. Don't stop! Please, don't stop!" she panted.

He reached his free hand up to her breast and pinched her nipple hard.

"Oh, God, Baby. I'm gonna come for you. Make me come!" she begged.

"With pleasure," he purred, happily continuing his mission.

Soon, she began to shake and whimper uncontrollably. Her breath hitched, and her body warmed in ecstasy. "Ohhhh, Steve…" she purred one final time as her body finally relaxed.

He kissed his way up her body, landing on her lips. "Mm. How'd that feel, Sweet Thang?"

"Amazing," she whispered.

"Are you ready to make me feel amazing, my love?"

She nodded, but didn't move.

He leaned over the bed and pulled a condom out of his pants pocket. He was prepared for the possibility that they wouldn't make it all the way to his bedroom. He climbed on top of her and looked at himself in the mirror above the bed. He hadn't designed this boat, but he was grateful to whomever had. He got between her legs and watched himself as he rolled the condom on and then slid his member deep inside her. He poured all of his worries into this one moment, and he took her hard. He took her like he was never going to be able to take her again, which was a real possibility.

She couldn't believe how rough he was being. It felt incredible, but it didn't feel like, Steve. Still, Laura was just as worried as he was. She wanted it like this. She needed it. "Oh, GOD. Steve. Steve. Steve. Steve. Steve!" she yelled.

"LauraLauraLauraLaura. OH, YES!"

"Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Oh, fuck me harder, Steve!" she screamed. "Fuck me harder."

He groaned when he heard her dirty, little mouth. He followed her directions and took her as hard and as fast as he could, but it wasn't good enough. He pulled out of her and sat up on the bed.

"Oh, noooooo…" she whined. "Why'd you stop?" she moaned with a wiggle. "I need you."

He shook his head. "Get up on all fours, Pet."

She did what he asked and turned around for him. She looked at herself in the mirror. _God, this is kinky_ , she thought. _I wonder if the boat came like this or if he had this installed_.

Steve took a moment to breathe and relax as he was getting far too close. He got up on his knees behind her and rubbed her back and her butt. He met her eyes in the mirror and spanked her.

"OH!" she yelped.

He grinned mischievously at her and did it again.

"AH!"

"Laura, you and the boys are going to stay with me through the trial," he said firmly.

"Steve," she said beginning to argue, "I don–"

SMACK.

"Ow!" she yelped as his hand came down on her sensitive skin again.

SMACK. "You're gonna stay with me, and we're gonna make love every night."

"Oooooo," she whimpered as the pleasurable sensation of impact faded into a less pleasurable stinging sensation.

He rubbed her butt softly with his hand, which was also stinging. "I love you, Pet. Make me happy," he whispered as he placed his member at her entrance. "Are you mine, Laura?"

"Yes, Steve," she moaned. "Please, take me."

He slid himself inside of her slowly. "Ohhh, Laura Lee…"  
"Steve…"

He met her eyes in the mirror and began to thrust in and out of her savagely, their skin making a slapping sound each time. He watched her breasts shake each time he pounded into her.

Laura couldn't believe how deep he was. Sure, they had done it in this position before, but apparently he had gone easy on her previously, because she felt him in places she didn't know existed. He showed her no mercy, and she enjoyed every minute of it. She reached down and began to rub her own clit.

As he watched her begin to pleasure herself, he found it very arousing, but he feared it meant that he wasn't doing enough for her. Suddenly, he knocked her down so she lay flat on her stomach.

"Oh!"

He pulled her hands out from under her and began to grind into her slowly, but forcefully. He held her hands as he did.

Laura felt the friction between her clit and the sheets and moaned. "Oh, Steve, yes…"

He looked down at her left hand and looked at the sparkling diamond. Excited by the prospect of making her his for the rest of their lives, he began to grind faster. He heard her breathing quicken and felt her womanhood pulsing on his member. He leaned close to her ear. "Please, come for me, Laura. Please, Pet. I want to feel you come. I need to feel you come."

"Oh, Steve," she purred as she began to slide over the edge with his encouragement. "Oh, Steve… Oh, GOD! Steeeeeeve…"

As Laura began to orgasm on his member, he allowed himself to release. He switched from a grinding motion back to his hard rapid thrusting as she continued to squeeze him tighter and tighter. In seconds, he was coming with her. "LAURA…" he moaned as he began to shoot his cum into the condom. When they had both stopped trembling in ecstasy, he pulled out of her and plopped down onto the bed. He pulled the condom off and tossed it haphazardly to the ground.

Laura, who was still breathing heavily as her head began to clear, was surprised he left her so quickly. She rolled back to look at him and was struck by the sadness on his face. "Steve? Are you ok?" she asked softly, placing her sparkling left hand on his bare chest.

He turned to look at her. "I'm scared, too, Laura," he admitted softly.

"Really? About the trial? But you seemed so confident?"

"I put on my brave face for you, Laura, but I'm terrified."

"Steve, I know the idea of going to prison, even for such a short time, is–"

"God, Laura, I don't care about that. I just care about us. I can't lose you again, Sweetheart," he whispered as he teared up. He held her left hand tightly.

She felt her eyes moisten, too. "I understand, Steve," she said softly.

"I need you to stay with me, Laura," he said again.

"Ok," she nodded, pulling her hand away to wipe his tears. "Ok, we'll stay here until this whole thing's over."

He leaned forward and kissed her. "Thank you, my love."

"Just don't lose, ok?"

"Ok," he agreed, kissing her again.

Laura and Steve did eventually head back up to Steve's bedroom, where they made love again, just as Steve had initially planned. In fact, it wasn't until the early morning that he actually let her fall asleep. When she woke up in his bed, she was alone again. She sat up and looked around the room. They needed to have a conversation about that. She stood and headed into the shower, not wanting to face her mother or her children looking and smelling like she had had sex all night long. When she was clean and fresh, she pulled her change of clothes out of the bag she had packed and headed down to the kitchen. She smiled when she saw her boys at the breakfast table with Steve and her mother. She kissed each kid on the forehead. "Good morning," she smiled.

Harriette smirked at her. "Good morning. Someone sure seems to be in a good mood. Did you sleep well?"

Laura blushed and smiled at Steve. "I did, Mom. I was… _exhausted_ last night."

Steve blushed too and glanced away shyly.

"Mama," Michael chirped, "I like your pretty ring."

Laura and Steve's eyes widened as they glanced down at Laura's hand. _Oops._

Harriette looked down at the ring and then back up to Laura several times, unable to believe what she saw.

Laura looked at her mother. "No… It's not… We're not…" Laura removed the ring from her finger and handed it back to Steve. She looked at him apologetically as she saw his face fall as he clenched the ring tightly in his fist. Laura turned back to Michael and attempted to smile. "Thank you, Baby, but it's not my ring. It's Uncle Steve's. He just let me borrow it."

Michael's brow furrowed. "I don't think it would look very good on him."

Harriette glared at Laura. "Laura, Honey, can I see you in the other room?"

"Yeah, I kinda saw that coming."

"Mm-hmm," Harriette mumbled as she stood and led Laura into the next room. She turned to her quickly when they were far enough away and whispered harshly, "Did you accept that boy's proposal and then give him his ring back the next day? In front of your kids and your mother? What is wrong with you?"

"No, Mom, that's not what happened. I never accepted. I told him to ask me after the trial, and then he begged me to wear it for the night. That's all. He knew I was going to give it back."

Harriette relaxed and exhaled, "Oh, thank God." She paused. "What are you going to say when he asks you after the trial?"

Laura blushed. "I don't know. I think I'm gonna say yes," she smiled. "We still have a lot of hoops to jump through. He needs to get on good terms with everybody again. We need to figure out work stuff. I need to talk to the kids, but I think I'm gonna say yes."

Harriette smiled at her. "That's wonderful, Baby." With that, she walked back into the kitchen, and Laura followed closely behind.

Laura sat next to Steve and served herself breakfast. She glanced at him when his hand came down to her thigh. She smiled at him as he slowly began to rub it.

When Michael had finished eating, he asked to be excused and ran up the stairs to play with more of Uncle Steve's awesome toys. The second he was out of sight, Laura turned to Steve and grabbed his cheeks. She pulled him toward her for a kiss. When she released his lips, she said, "Good morning."

He smiled at her. "Good morning," he purred.

Harriette stood and began to clear the table, grabbing Steve's attention.

"Oh, Harriette, you don't have to do that," he said, standing to take the plates out of her hands.

"I don't mind, Steve. It'll save you the trouble after we leave."

"No, Harriette, it won't be any trouble for me. I have people who do that kind of thing around here."

Harriette furrowed her brow and set the plates on the counter. "Oh."

"Please, you're my guest. Sit down."

"Well, actually, Laura, I think we should get going," Harriette said, turning to Laura. "Your father's gonna start worrying soon."

Laura grimaced. "Well, actually, Mom, the kids and I are gonna stay here with Steve until the trial's over, so you can head back without us."

Harriette looked at her nervously, "Laura, Honey, are you sure that's a good idea?"

"No," she admitted, turning to look at Steve, "but I made a promise."

Harriette sighed, "All right, Sweetheart. If that's what you wanna do… I'll just go say goodbye to Michael, and then I'll head out." She hugged Steve and walked over to Laura. She kissed her cheek. "I'll see you kids later," she said, walking out of the room.

Steve returned to Laura's side and sat back down. He looked at her and smiled. "So what should we do today, Honey Knees?"

"Whatever you want," she shrugged.

He shook his head. "I just want to spend the day with you and the boys."

She nodded. "Ok, why don't we ask Michael what he wants to do?" she suggested.

"I think that's a great idea," he grinned, kissing her again.

Neither one of them was prepared for what he'd suggest.

"I want to go to Disney World!" he announced when they told him it was up to him.

Laura chuckled, "No, Baby. We just have the day. You have to pick something in Chicago."

Steve thought for a minute. "No, he doesn't," he said.

Laura looked up at him. "Steve, we have to be in court tomorrow at 9 am."

"So? Urkorp has a private jet. We could be in Florida three hours from now, spend the day with Mickey and his pals, and fly back tonight."

"Steve, that's crazy."

"No, it's not, Sweetums," he said seriously. "I want to do something special today. Let's go."

Laura looked at the determined, desperate twinkle in his eye. Then she looked back at her very hopeful son. "Ok," she sighed.

"YAY!" Michael cheered. He rushed to wrap his arms around Steve's legs. "Thank you, Uncle Steve!" he cried as Steve lifted him high in his arms.

Steve pulled him tightly against him, inhaling deeply. He wanted to memorize what he felt like, smelt like, sounded like, just in case he was going to jail. He wasn't certain Laura would be waiting for him when he got out. This may have been his very last chance to be a father. When Michael eventually began to squirm in his arms, he set him down. "You're welcome, Buddy."


End file.
